0 


BEYOND THE 
BLACK  OCEAN 

STORY  OF  A    ?OCIAL  REVOLUTION 


-•1 


By  Rev.  T.  McGrady. 


PUBLISHED  BY 

STANDARD  PUBLISHING  CO. 

TEKKE  HAUTE,  IND. 


Eatered  at  Postoffice,  Terre  Haute,  Ind.,  as  second  class  matter. 


GIFT  OF 


VITA     JU, 


BEYOND  THE 

BLACK  OCEAN 


BY 


REV.  T.   McGRADY, 
FJ 


PASTOR  OF 


ST.    ANTHONY'S     CHURCH,     BELLEVUE,     KY. 


Author  of  "The  Mistakes  of  Ingersoll,"  "The 

Two  Kingdoms"  "Socialism  and 

the  Labor  Problem." 


TERRE  HAUTE,  IND. : 

STANDARD  PUBLISHING  CO. 

1901. 


Copyright,  1901 
BY  STANDARD  PUBLISHING  Co. 


January,  1902.          PROGRESSIVE  THOUGHT.  No.  18. 

Published  Quarterly.  50  Cts.  a  Year. 


PUBLISHER'S  NOTE. 

Father  McGrady  was  born  in  Lexington,  Ky.,  on 
June  6,  1863.  Having  completed  his  course  of  studies, 
he  was  ordained  in  the  Cathedral  of  Galveston,  Texas,  in 
1887.  During  the  first  six  months  of  his  ministry  he  was 
connected  with  the  Cathedral  in  Galveston.  In  the  early 
part  of  the  following  year  he  was  assigned  to  the  pastorate 
of  St.  Patrick's  Church,  Houston,  and  later  on  he  was 
assigned  to  St.  Patrick's  Church  in  Dallas,  Texas.  In 
1890  he  returned  to  his  native  State  and  assumed  tem 
porary  charge  of  the  Catholic  congregation  in  Lexington. 
His  next  pastorate  was  Cynthiana,  Ky.,  where  he  labored 
for  four  years,  and  in  the  summer  of  1895  he  was  ap 
pointed  pastor  of  St.  Anthony's  Church,  Bellevue,  Ky., 
and  he  still  holds  this  position.  The  poverty  of  the 
masses,  which  increases  with  the  march  of  civilization, 
had  early  made  a  deep  impression  on  his  mind,  and  in 
1896  he  began  to  study  economics,  but  unfortunately  for 
his  purpose  he  perused  the  works  of  the  old  school,  which 
attributed  the  economic  ills  of  the  age  to  the  inevitable 
law  of  competition.  His  perplexity  was  partially  relieved 
by  reading  ""Merrie  England."  However,  about  this  time 
he  began  to  peruse  the  works  of  Henry  George,  and  he 
then  thought  that  the  Single  Tax  was  the  panacea  for  the 
evils  of  modern  society.  Pursuing  his  studies  in  Social 
ism,  he  began  to  see  that  the  arguments  advanced  by 
Henry  George  for  the  common  ownership  of  land,  ap 
plied  with  grave  force  to  all  the  means  of  production ;  that 
all  the  wealth  in  the  world  and  all  the  progress  of  the 
ages  were  products  of  social  factors,  and  therefore  the 
common  property  of  society.  He  also  perceived  the  fu 
tility  of  the  Single  Tax  movement  to  heal  the  wounds 
which  capitalism  had  inflicted  on  the  toiling  masses.  Be 
coming  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  ablest  exponents 
of  Socialism,  he  became  an  ardent  champion  of  the  doc 
trine,  and  his  voice  has  thrilled  many  vast  audiences  who 
have  stood  amazed  at  the  bold  denunciations  he  has 
hurled  against  the  oppressors  of  mankind. 

That  this  book  will  carry  the  new  hope  for  social  jus 
tice  to  many  thousands  never  before  reached,  is  the  hope 
and  belief  of  A  \  THE  PUBLISHERS. 


\  ; 

461891 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN. 

CHAPTER  I. 

In  the  year  1793,  Louis  the  Sixteenth,  of  France,  was 
decapitated,  the  widowed  queen,  Marie  Antoinette,  was 
guillotined,  Christianity  was  tabooed  throughout  the  Re 
public,  and  the  Goddess  of  Reason  was  enthroned  on  the 
high  altar  of  Notre  Dame,  and  the  grand  old  Cathedral 
church  of  Paris  was  desecrated  by  the  ribaldry  of  the  in 
furiated  populace.  The  Reign  of  Terror  was  triumphant. 
Danton  and  Robespierre  were  revelling  in  the  blood  of 
countless  hosts,  till  the  fate  of  their  victims  fell  on  their 
own  guilty  heads.  The  tricolor  was  borne  in  triumph  by 
the  Corsican  adventurer  through  the  vales  of  sunny  Italy. 
The  fame  of  Napoleon  had  reached  the  ends  of  the  earth. 
He  had  immortalized  his  name  at  Toulon,  Mentenotte  and 
Lodi.  The  nations  of  Europe  were  startled  by  the  march 
of  his  legions  and  the  tramp  of  his  battle  steed.  The  Aus 
trian  army  had  been  driven  before  the  flag  of  the  new 
Republic  like  dust  before  the  hurricane.  The  Netherlands 
and  Normandy  had  been  annexed  to  the  dominion  of 
France.  Governments  were  falling  and  thrones  were  tot 
tering.  Revolution  was  rife,  and  the  battle  song  was  the 
cry  of  new-born  Liberty,  begotten  in  the  throes  of  an 
archy,  and  emerging  from  the  tomb  of  buried  dynasties. 

The  sound  of  strife  had  awakened  the  dying  hopes  of 
every  conquered  people,  and  the  patriots  of  every  land 
were  donning  the  helmet  and  breastplate  for  the  scene 
of  carnage.  The  battalioned  hosts  of  Europe  were  ar 
rayed  in  glittering  panoply,  and  the  throne  of  despotism 
was  imperiled.  The  sons  of  Erin,  encouraged  by  the 
astounding  victories  of  Napoleon  and  the  generals  of 
France,  thought  that  the  day  had  arrived  when  the  Gem 
of  the  Ocean  would  break  the  gyves  of  bondage,  welded 
by  the  strokes  of  six  centuries,  cast  off  the  yoke  of  the 
Norman  invader,  hurl  back  the  ruthless  legions  of  a  for 
eign  despot,  declare  her  independence,  and  assume  her 
place  among  the  nations  of  the  earth.  The  story  of  the 


6  BEYOND  THE  ELACK  OCEAN 

Emerald  Isle  is  like  a  "pendulum  between  a  smile  and  a 
tear."  Her  history  is  made  up  of  sunshine  and  shower. 
The  school  of  the  West,  the  home  of  scholars  and  the 
island  of  Saints,  she  became  famous  long  ere  the  Saxon 
thane  ever  trod  the  vales  of  Kent ;  and  the  voice  of  her 
missionaries  mingled  with  the  roar  of  the  Alpine  catar 
acts,  and  resounded  through  the  mountain  glens  of  Italy, 
and  along  the  shores  of  the  Rhine  and  the  woodland 
glades  of  Gaul,  before  Norman  Knights  had  ever  met  the 
turbulent  Vikings  of  the  North.  Resistance  to  foreign 
invasion  had  always  been  regarded  as  a  sacred  obligation 
by  the  children  of  Hibernian  blood.  They  marshalled 
their  hosts  in  battle  array  against  the  mailed  legions  of 
Bolingbroke,  and  the  conquest  begun-  by  Henry  the 
Second,  in  1172,  was  completed  by  fire  and  sword  four 
hundred  years  later  in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  the  daugh 
ter  of  Henry  the  Eighth,  who  will  be  known  to  all  genera 
tions  as  a  cruel  and  licentious  virago.  The  spirit  of  the 
O'Briens  and  the  O'Neills,  the  O'Moores  and  the  O'Don- 
nells,  of  ancient  times,  has  survived  in  their  progeny. 
For  seven  hundred  years  Ireland  has  struggled  with  bat- 
talioned  despotism,  and  the  history  of  the  sacrifices  she 
has  made  on  the  altar  of  patriotism,  and  the  agonies  she 
endured  at  the  shrine  of  Liberty,  is  the  most  inspiring 
record  that  has  ever  been  written  by  human  hands. 
It  was  an  Irish  bard  that  sang  of  Freedom — 
"  'Tis  sweeter  to  bleed  for  an  age  at  thy  shrine, 
Than  to  sleep  but  a  moment  in  chains," 
and  his  verse  was  inspired  by  the  gory  flood  that  ever 
flowed  from  the  heart  of  Ireland  in  her  struggle  for  na 
tional  independence.  The  slaughter  of  her  children  by 
the  sword  of  Cromwell  has  no  parallel  in  the  records  of 
atrocity,  and  their  exile  after  the  treaty  of  Limerick,  when 
fathers  and  sons  were  torn  from  the  arms  of  children  and 
mothers,  is  far  more  pathetic  than  the  lamentation  of 
Jeremiah  over  the  captivity  of  Judah  and  the  destruction 
of  her  temple.  But,  unlike  the  childen  of  Abraham,  the 
scions  of  Milesian  kings  and  the  descendants  of  Irish 
chieftains,  wept  not  in  silence  over  the  misfortunes  of 
their  country.  On  the  shores  of  the  Shannon  and  the 
Rhine,  the  Blackwater  and  the  Susquehanna,  on  the  ver- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  7 

dant  fields  of  Tipperary  and  the  swamps  of  Mississippi, 
whether  fighting  the  battles  of  Europe  or  struggling  for 
the  freedom  of  America,  every  Irish  heart  loved  the  land 
consecrated  by  the  Harp  of  Tara's  Hall.  Age  after  age 
the  patriots  of  Erin  had  presented  their  battalioned  col 
umns  to  the  sword  of  the  invader,  and  when  their  ranks 
were  broken  and  their  forces  destroyed,  hope  still  lingered 
in  their  hearts.  The  battle  of  the  Boyne  was  lost,  the 
treaty  of  Limerick  was  violated,  and  Sarsfield  and  his  gal 
lant  comrades  were  no  more.  Their  heroes  had  been 
slaughtered  and  their  people  had  been  massacred.  Still 
they  remembered  Massilia,  Vittoria,  Luzzara,  Freidlingen, 
Spires,  Blenheim,  Oudenarde,  Malplequet,  Denain  and 
Fontenoy,  where  Irish  valor  won  immortal  glory ;  and 
they  were  inspired  by  their  triumphs  in  other  lands  to 
look  for  the  redemption  of  Ireland  in  the  blood  of  her 
children. 

The  French  Revolution  was  their  opportunity,  and 
again  the  spirit  of  the  past  awoke,  and  armed  men  were 
ready  for  the  battle  cry.  Tone,  Thomas  Addis  Emmit, 
Neilson,  Russell  and  a  host  of  others,  planned  an  insurrec 
tion  against  British  domination.  The  youth  of  the  land 
threw  themselves  into  the  movement,  and  were  swept 
along  by  the  hurricane.  Tone  had  conceived  the  idea  of 
co-operating  with  Napoleon  in  the  conquest  of  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  nation,  but  on  the  2Oth  of  May,  1798,  General 
Bonaparte  embarked  for  Egypt,  and  thus  the  cause  of 
Ireland  was  treacherously  abandoned.  On  the  23d  of  the 
same  month,  the  insurrection  broke  out,  and  this  filled  the 
hearts  of  the  Irish  refugees  in  Paris  with  enthusiasm.  A 
gallant  French  officer  fitted  out  a  vessel,  landed  at  Killala, 
and,  with  a  small  force,  covered  the  royal  troops  with 
ignominious  defeat. 

This  expedition,  which  ultimately  failed,  owing  to  the 
paucity  of  numbers  and  want  of  resources,  inspired  the 
Directory  to  send  a  fleet  into  British  waters  to  fight  the 
battle  of  freedom  for  the  exiles  of  Erin.  The  vessels  set 
sail  on  the  2Oth  of  September  and  met  an  English  fleet  in 
Lough  Swilly  on  the  nth  of  October.  The  British  ships 
were  much  larger  than  the  French,  and  had  better  guns. 
The  French  fleet  was  conquered.  On  one  of  the  French 


8  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

vessels  were  five  hundred  Irish  refugees  who  had  come 
from  all  parts  of  the  French  dominion  to  fight  the  old 
battle  again.  They  were  all  young  men  who  had  been 
engaged  in  the  conspiracy  formed  by  the  Rev.  William 
Jackson,  a  Protestant  clergyman,  for  the  invasion  of  Eng 
land  by  the  French  and  Irish  people.  Mr.  Jackson  had 
revealed  his  plans  to  an  English  barrister,  Cockayne,  and 
this  individual  betrayed  the  secret  to  the  government,  by 
whom  he  was  employed  to  follow  Jackson  and  acquaint 
himself  with  all  the  details  of  the  movement.  Cockayne 
was  admitted  to  the  insurrectionary  conventions,  and  be 
came  familiar  with  all  the  daring  spirits  in  the  enterprise. 
When  Jackson  was  arrested  and  sentenced  to  death,  his 
adherents  sought  refuge  in  France,  where  they  watched 
the  current  of  events  and  waited  for  the  fortunate  day 
when  they  could  again  espouse  the  cause  for  which  they 
and  their  forefathers  had  fought. 

In  the  clash  of  battle  amidst  the  surging  billows,  the 
French  fleet  was  almost  annihilated,  and  Delecasse,  the 
commander  of  the  transport,  turned  the  prow  of  his  vessel 
to  the  sea,  intending  to  save  his  Irish  confederates  in 
flight,  because  he  knew  they  would  be  condemned  as 
traitors,  while  the  French  would  only  be  detained  as  pris 
oners  of  war.  By  reaching  the  shores  of  Holland,  he 
thought  to  inform  the  Directory  of  the  disaster,  and 
secure  re-enforcement  for  the  conquest  of  England.  But 
they  had  no  compass,  and  were  soon  lost  in  the  wilder 
ness  of  waves.  Onward  they  sailed,  expecting  every  day 
to  see  loom  up,  from  the  broad  expanse,  the  gray  rocks  of 
the  Hebrides ;  but  more  bewildered  than  Genoa's  navi 
gator  on  his  way  to  the  portals  of  Cathay  and  the  gates  of 
India,  they  beheld  naught  but  sky  and  flood.  No  wreck 
floated  on  the  billows,  no  winged  messenger  from  neigh 
boring  coasts,  filled  their  hearts  with  gleams  of  hope,  but 
the  purple  dome  above  and  the  green  depths  beneath  led 
them  to  believe  that  they  had  bidden  farewell  to  the  land 
of  their  youth. 

On  board  was  a  Presbyterian  minister,  the  Rev., 
William  Flynn.  Although  many  of  these  young  heroes 
were  not  Presbyterians,  yet  they  all,  without  exception, 
loved  Mr.  Flynn  for  his  devotion  to  Ireland,  and  his 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  9 

broad-minded,  liberal  views,  and  his  consideration  for 
the  religious  convictions  of  those  who  differed  with  him 
in  creed,  and  they  had  unanimously  chosen  him  as  their 
chaplain.  Mr.  Flynn  took  with  him,  when  he  left  France, 
a  number  of  books,  and  among  others,  the  Holy  Bible, 
and  the  best  works  of  the  Fathers,  several  volumes  on 
economics  and  the  histories  of  all  nations.  He  was  their 
spiritual  guide  in  the  hour  of  peril,  and  when  the  clouds 
of  despondency  crushed  the  hearts  of  his  comrades,  he 
was  their  only  star  of  hope.  His  bright  smiles  and  gentle 
words,  and  above  all,  perhaps,  his  sallies  of  wit  and 
humor,  made  them  laugh  in  the  dreariest  moments.  He 
recalled  the  struggles  of  their  ancestors  for  liberty  amidst 
the  glens  of  Erin,  spoke  of  Swerwick  and  the  massacre  of 
the  O'Moores,  and  the  butchery  of  their  ancestors  by  the 
sword  of  the  Protector  at  Drogheda,  Dundalk,  Newry, 
Carlingford  and  Wexford.  He  rehearsed  the  folk-lore  of 
Erin,  the  visitation  of  fairies  to  the  Vale  of  Avoca,  the 
ghost  stories  connected  with  the  cabin  of  Timothy 
O'Reilly,  the  legend  of  the  Limerick  bells,  the  history  of 
Kate  Kearney  in  the  Gap  of  Dunloe,  the  fight  between 
O'Donohue  and  the  Devil  on  Devil's  Bit  Island,  and 
many  a  pleasant  anecdote  about  Irish  wakes  and  wed 
dings.  Onward  they  sped  through  the  tossing  billows.  A 
terrific  gale  arose  on  the  deep,  and  the  ship  was  at  the 
mercy  of  the  waves  for  four  weeks.  The  days  grew 
shorter,  the  sun  appearing  but  a  few  hours  each  day ; 
than  a  half  hour,  a  few  minutes,  till  finally  night  threw  its 
shadows  over  the  deep  to  vanish  no  more.  When  the 
exiles  realized  their  desperate  condition,  they  were  over 
whelmed  with  fear. 

"We  have  reached  the  end  of  the  world !"  exclaimed 
some  of  the  men,  and  the  opinion  was  generally  accepted. 
But  the  minister  and  some  others  were  thoroughly  ac 
quainted  with  astronomy  and  explained  the  cause  of  the 
darkness. 

"We  have  drifted  far  out  of  our  course  to  the  north," 
said  Mr.  Flynn.  "We  are  now  approaching  the  winter 
solstice,  and  this  is  the  season  of  night  in  the  Arctic  re 
gions.  We  must  veer  the  ship  toward  the  south." 

But  there  was  no  light  to  see,  no  sun  illuminated  the 


10  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

sky,  no  mariner's  guide,  and  the  storm,  coming  from  the 
torrid  belt,  swept  them  farther  into  the  north  frigid  zone ; 
and  thus  they  wandered  aimlessly  over  the  bleak  ex 
panse,  trusting  to  the  God  of  Mercy.  Fortunately  they 
had  sufficient  provisions.  The  storm  waxed  fiercer,  as 
sumed  the  magnitude  of  a  hurricane,  the  ship  moaned 
and  creaked,  the  wild  waves  swept  the  deck  and  kissed 
the  spars  and  masts,  the  hatches  were  closed,  and  for  a 
month  more  they  drifted  with  the  march  of  the  tempest. 
Every  moment  the  vessel  gave  indication  that  it  was  sink 
ing,  and  despair  was  traced  on  every  face  and  sat  on  every 
heart.  Three  hundred  years  before  Columbus  had  battled 
with  the  elements  amid  circumstances  that  would  have 
tried  great  men's  souls ;  but  that  child  of  destiny  saw  the 
sky  above  and  the  broad  expanse  ot  water  lay  out  before 
him.  He  could  measure  the  day  by  the  dawn  and  the 
twilight.  But  every  gleam  of  hope  had  vanished  from 
these  children  of  Erin.  Still  in  their  sorrow  they  were 
comforted  by  the  thoughts  that  were  afterwards  woven 
into  song,  and  rehearsed  by  the  lyre  of  their  great  na 
tional  bard: 

"Sail  on,  sail  on,  thou  fearless  bark — 

Wherever  blows  the  welcome  wind, 
It  cannot  lead  to  scenes  more  dark, 

More  sad  than  those  we  leave  behind. 

"Sail  on,  sail  on — through  endless  space — 

Through  calm — through  tempest — stop  no  more; 

The  stormiest  sea's  a  resting-place 

To  him  who  leaves  such  hearts  on  shore." 

Far  away  in  the.  distance  they  beheld  lights  twinkling 
in  the  darkness. 

"Land  !  Land  !"  was  cried  from  every  lip.  "We  have 
reached  a  haven  of  rest !  Steer  toward  the  light !  Put  out 
the  signal  of  distress  !" 

The  signal  was  given,  but  no  response  came  from  the 
shore. 

"Perhaps,"  said  Martin  Barry,  "the  light  came  from 
a  passing  ship.  If  we  can  hail  the  vessel,  we  are  saved." 

But  the  tempests  howled  like  the  demons  of  despair 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  II 

wailing  in  the  depths  of  hades.  The  light  vanished  in  the 
darkness  and  Spitzbergen  (for  this  was  the  name  of  the 
place)  disappeared  in  the  shadows  of  an  Arctic  winter. 
Not  many  days  later,  when  the  storm  had  subsided,  they 
ran  aground  on  a  huge  sandbar  near  the  shores  of  a 
desert  island.  They  thought  that  they  were  close  to  land, 
but  had  no  means  of  ascertaining,  and  their  knowledge 
was  confined  to  conjecture.  The  vessel  rolled  from  one 
side  to  the  other,  and  the  billows  swept  her  deck  from  bow 
to  stern.  There  was  no  sign  of  human  habitation,  no  cer 
tainty  of  land  near  by,  and  no  hope  of  relief.  The  vessel 
was  doomed  to  be  wrecked,  and  every  moment  the  voy 
agers  expected  that  the  end  would  arrive.  When  despair 
had  reached  its  height,  and  the  wanderers  on  the  deep 
looked  each  moment  to  see  their  litle  craft  dashed  to 
pieces,  the  tide  began  to  flow  and  the  vessel  floated  with 
the  waves. 

"Hoist  the  sails!"  cried  the  captain,  "and  let  us  put 
out  to  sea  once  more." 

"Why  not  find  deep  water,"  suggested  Patrick  Boyle, 
"and  anchor  till  the  return  of  spring  ?  Then  we  could  see 
our  path,  and  get  some  idea  of  our  bearings.  Here  we 
are  wandering  over  the  waters  without  a  guide,  amidst 
shoals  and  rocks  and  icebergs,  with  our  lives  in  im 
minent  jeopardy.  We  have  been  floating  around  about 
a  month  since  night  fell  on  us,  and  we  don't  know  where 
we  are.  We  steered  south  when  we  discovered  our  mis 
take,  and  yet  no  sign  of  dawn.  Perhaps  in  the  storm  our 
course  was  changed  and  we  are  drifting  north  and  will 
soon  reach  the  pole." 

"I  am  sure,"  said  Timothy  O'Hara,  "that  we  are 
within  the  Arctic  Circle,  for  how  could  it  be  so  intensely 
cold  ?  Sure  it  is  ten  times  more  frosty  here  than  it  is  at 
Glengariff,  and  I  never  felt  such  a  breeze  on  Bantry 
Bay." 

"No,"  said  Mike  Gallagher,  "the  coldest  day  on  Din 
gle  mountain  would  be  July  weather  compared  to  this. 
Faith,  I  think  cows  in  this  climate  would  give  ice-cream 
milk." 

However,  the  Captain  was  not  discouraged. 

"We  may  be  drifting  east  or  west,"  said  he  "and  in 


12  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

that  event,  we  will  surely  reach  the  shores  of  Europe,  Asia 
or  America.  It  is  more  than  likely  we  are  sailing  toward 
the  west;  and  I  am  firmly  convinced  that  the  land  where 
we  saw  the  lights  is  Iceland." 

"It  might  be  Greenland,"  remarked  Teddy  Malone. 
"The  longest  night  in  Iceland  is  only  twenty-four  hours, 
and  it  is  beyond  dou'bt  that  we  have  been  in  darkness  at 
least  a  month  or  two.  At  Cape  Brewster,  in  Greenland, 
the  longest  night  is  about  two  months ;  and  it  is  more  than 
double  that  period  towards  the  northern  part  of  the 
island." 

Mr.  Flynn  now  gave  his  opinion. 

"Gentlemen,  we  do  not  know  any  more  about  the 
geography  of  our  position  than  we  know  about  the  man  in 
the  moon.  We  could  not  have  been  in  the  vicinity  of  Ice 
land  when  we  saw  the  lights,  for,  as  Teddy  Malone  says, 
the  longest  night  in  Iceland  is  only  twenty-four  hours. 
Teddy,  you  are  a  smart  boy.  You  have  not  forgotten 
what  you  learned  from  Mr.  O'Rourke  about  geography 
and  astronomy.  Iceland  is  but  a  little  beyond  the  parallel 
of  sixty-three  degrees  of  north  latitude,  whereas  Green 
land  stretches  out  beyond  the  eightieth  degree.  Iceland  is 
south  of  the  Arctic  Circle,  the  dividing  line  between  day 
and  night  in  the  polar  regions.  Greenland  is  principally 
north  of  the  Arctic  Circle." 

"But,"  said  Tom  Reilly,  "Nova  Zembla  is  also  north 
of  the  Arctic  Circle,  and,  your  reverence,  it  might  'have 
been  that  island;  and  if  you  are  hard  up  for  islands  where 
the  nights  continue  for  months,  sure  there  is  Spitzbergen 
and  Franz  Josef  Land.  Sure,  what's  the  use  of  speculat 
ing  about  a -party  of  wee  bits  of  islands!  We  are  in  it,  and 
we  must  get  out  of  it,  and  if  we  die  'here,  it  is  just  as  well 
as  to  (be  shot  in  Ireland.  For  my  part,  I  don't  care  where 
ye  go,  just  so  ye  get  out  of  this.  Let  us  not  be  killing 
precious  time  arguing  about  geography  and  astronomy 
and  these  little  things,  when  our  lives  and  our  country  are 
in  peril.  You  seem  to  'be  anxious  to  s'how  your  informa 
tion  on  abstruse  subjects.  The  next  thing  we  know,  ye'll 
be  involved  in  the  mysteries  of  astrology,  mythology, 
geology,  palaeontology  and  ichthyology.  Oh!  do  you 
mind  them  fine  words  I  am  using!  Faith,  if  I  turned  my- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  13 

self  loose,  I'd  play  hob  with  the  whole  party  of  ye  scientific 
lads.  But  it's  land  and  light  we  want  now,  and  not  big 
words.  Put  on  the  sails  and  clear  out  of  this !  If  we  go  to 
the  east  or  the  west,  we  will  strike  continents  or  islands; 
and  if  we  are  going  north,  we  will  soon  reach  the  pole,  and 
then  we'll  come  down  on  the  other  side,  for  they  say  the 
earth  is  round  like  a  ball." 

After  serious  deliberation,  the  crew  agreed  to  trust  to 
Divine  Providence  in  the  present  emergency  and  to  sail 
on,  regardless  of  their  geographical  position.  Hours  and 
days  and  weeks  rolled  by,  and  onward  the  ship  sped 
through  ice  and  storm  and  wave.  After  several  months  a 
faint  light  began  to  struggle  through  the  dense  clouds  that 
hung  over  their  horizon.  The  heart  of  every  voyager 
throbbed  fast  with  new  life  and  high  hope.  The  shadows 
slowly  vanished,  the  horizon  could  be  distinctly  seen  on 
the  expanse  of  the  wild  waste  of  water.  Brighter  and 
'brighter  grew  the  blush  on  the  brow  of  the  morning,  and 
finally  the  full-orbed,  radiant  glory  of  day,  burst  upon  the 
deep;  and  the  brave  soldiers  sang  that  sublime  canticle 
that  was  intoned  by  the  angelic  hosts  and  echoed  over 
the  plains  of  Bethlehem  when  the  Babe  of  Israel's  pro 
phetic  dreams  was  born  to  gladden  the  heart  of  humanity. 
They  held  a  consultation  to  decide  what  course  they 
should  pursue.  Their  deliberations  were  interrupted  by  a 
wild  shout  from  the  deck.  "Land  !  Land1!  We  have  reached 
land!"  Every  passenger  on  the  Rochelle  rushed  to  the 
deck,  and  beheld  far  away  the  faint  outline  of  a  coast. 
In  the  background  were  seen  columns  of  smoke,  rising 
from  human  habitation  and  floating  on  the  breath  of  the 
morning. 

"Thank  God!"  cried  every  voice.  "Thank  God  that 
we  are  saved!" 

"What  country  is  it?"  asked  Larry  O'Neill.  "Surely 
this  is  not  Holland,  and  I  do  not  think  it  is  Norway." 

"It  cannot  be  America,"  remarked  Patsy  Donnelly, 
"because  we  must  be  far  'beyond  the  latitude  of  America." 

"I  don't  know  about  that,"  said  Patrick  Gilhooley. 
"America  is  a  whopping  big  country.  My  father  fought 
in  the  American  Revolution  against  the  troops  of  his 
Royal  Majesty,  and  it  is  a  fine  beating  they  got  from  the 


14  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

Yankees.  I've  heard  my  father  say  that  Ireland  was  not  a 
patch  to  America.  Faith,  you  could  put  the  three  king 
doms  into  one  American  state/' 

"Yes,"  responded  Donnelly,  "and  the  United  States 
is  only  a  small  portion  of  America.  Mexico  is  to  the  south 
of  that,  and  farther  on  is  Central  America,  and  then,  be 
yond  that  still,  is  South  America.  On  the  other  side  is 
Canada,  which  is  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  Arctic 
Ocean." 

"Is  that  where  the  Esquimaux  live?"  asked  Gilhooley. 

"The  Esquimaux,"  said  Donnelly,  "inhabit  the  coasts 
of  all  the  seas,  inlets  and  islands  of  North  America,  be 
yond  the  sixtieth  degree.  They  are  found  from  the  east 
ern  coast  of  Greenland  to  Behring  Strait,  and  it's  a  dirty 
crowd  of  vagabonds  they  are,  too.  They  dwell  in  snow 
huts  in  winter,  and  live  on  the  fles'h  of  wild  animals,  for 
the  most  part  without  cooking  it,  and  they  drink  the 
blood  of  their  game  freshly  killed,  like  a  pack  of  hyenas. 
They  fling  the  offals  of  the  game  into  the  corner  of  their 
huts,  and  the  stench  of  Billingsgate  market  is  decent  com 
pared  with  it.  I  hope  we  don't  fall  in  with  that  crew." 

In  the  meantime  the  ship  'had  approached  within  sight 
of  the  wharf.  A  shot  was  fired  from  the  fort,  command 
ing  the  entrance  of  the  bay.  The  Rochelle  put  out  the 
green  flag,  thinking,  of  course,  that  every  nation  on  earth 
understood  the  significance  of  that  emblem.  A  tender, 
bearing  a  guard  of  armed  soldiers,  approached  the  ship, 
and  an  explanation  was  demanded  why  it  had  entered 
these  waters  without  license.  When  the  invaders  heard 
the  strange  tongue,  they  were  non-plussed,  and  imme 
diately  called  Delecasse,  thinking  that,  as  he  was  a 
Frenchman,  he  might  be  able  to  interpret  their  language. 

"Parlez  vous  Francais?"  asked  the  Captain,  but  the 
natives  could  not  understand  the  significance  of  his  ex 
pression,  and  they  replied  in  words  full  of  mystery  to  the 
passengers  of  the  misguided  ship.  Again  Delecasse,  who 
was  familiar  with  German,  interrogated  his  custodians: 

"Sprechen  Sie  Deutsch?"  Still  no  intelligible  re 
sponse.  "Wir  sind  Soldaten  und  wir  sind  verloren  auf 
dem  See,  und  wir  sind  zu  diessem  Lande  gewandert.  Ver- 
stehen  Sie?"  Yet  the  enigma  was  not  solved.  "Was  fuer 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  1 5 

eine  Spraohe  sprechen  Sie?  Es  ist  nicht  Franzoesisch  und 
es  ist  nicht  Deutsch.  Ist  es  Italienisch?"  No  answer. 
"Sprechen  Sie  Spanisch,  oder  Lateinisch?"  No  answer. 
"Verstehen  Sie  Polnisch,  oder  Russisch,  oder  Griechisch, 
oder  Arabisch,  oder  Syrisch?" 

"What  are  you  saying,  Captain?"  queried  Teddy  Ma- 
lone. 

"I  asked  them  if  they  could  understand  Polish  or  Rus 
sian,  or  Greek  or  Latin,  or  Spanish  or  Italian,  or  Arabic 
or  Syriac." 

"My  God!"  exclaimed  Larry  Sullivan,  "don't  ye  spake 
any  language  under  the  sun?  Sure,  here  we  have  a  poly 
glot  with  us,  and  yet  ye  don't  same  to  understand  a  word 
of  the  hundred  tongues  that  he  spakes.  Be  Japers !  what 
kind  of  animals  are  ye,  any  way?  Ye  are  nather  men  nor 
alligators.  Ye  are  a  quare  crowd  of  fish.  Well,  there's 
one  consolation — they  can't  abuse  us,  for  they  can  curse 
till  their  tongues  are  black,  and  their  throats  are  ten  times 
•their  ordinary  size,  and  we  will  be  none  the  wiser." 

The  officers  took  charge  of  the  ship,  and  having 
reached  the  dock,  ordered  the  passengers  to  disembark. 
The  Governor-General  was  informed  of  the  occurrence, 
and  he,  having  held  consultation  with  the  proper  authori 
ty,  notified  the  officers  of  the  city  to  keep  the  strangers  in 
custody  till  something  definite  could  be  ascertained  about 
their  antecedents.  After  a  few  weeks  the  Irish  were  per 
mitted  to  wander  through  the  city,  and  thus  they  mingled 
with  the  natives,  and  rapidly  acquired  a  knowledge  of  their 
tongue.  In  less  than  a  year  they  could  speak  it  quite  flu 
ently. 

One  morning  Timothy  O'Hara,  who  had  become  an 
employe  in  the  office  of  a  Dr.  Spemheimer,  met  Patrick 
O'Dowd,  who  occupied  the  position  of  coachman  for  a 
Dr.  Kranseit,  and  he  saluted  his  old  friend  as  in  the  days 
of  yore. 

"Good  morning,  Pat." 

"Good  morning,  Tim." 

"Oh!  but  it's  Doctor  Tim  now!"  replied  O'Hara. 

"Yes,  and  it's  Doctor  Pat,  too,"  said  the  other. 

"Well,  said  Tim,  "I've  invented  the  greatest  medicine 
ye  ever  heard  of.  Sure,  a  man  was  brought  to  my  office 


l6  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

the  other  day,  and  his  heart  had  not  run  for  two  weeks. 
I  gave  him  some  of  my  medicine,  and  now  his  heart  runs 
like  an  eight-day  clock." 

"Begorra,  that's  nothing  to  the  medicine  I  have  in 
vented!"  said  Pat.  "I  was  called  some  time  ago  to  see  a 
man  who  had  no  liver  nor  lights.  He  took  three  doses 
of  my  medicine  every  day  for  a  week,  and  thin  I  went  to 
see  him  and  I  larned  that  he  had  a  ten-pound  liver  and  an 
electric  light!  How's  that  for  high?" 

Pat  and  Tim  then  went  into  a  restaurant  to  have  din 
ner,  and  they  ordered  everything  on  the  bill  of  board. 
The  waitress  brought  them  soup,  celery  and  crabs.  They 
ate  the  first  two,  but  did  not  touch  the  last.  When  the 
maid  returned  with  other  dishes,  Tim  said: 

"Madam,  we  ate  your  dish-water  and  your  bouquet, 
but  I'll  be  damned  if  we'll  ate  your  bugs!" 

The  Irish  and  the  natives  associated  freely.  The  latter 
were  amused  with  their  guests,  and  mutual  admiration 
and  sympathy  engendered  a  lasting  friendship  between 
thm.  The  exiles  gave  frequent  performances  in  their  own 
language,  which  the  natives  now  readily  understood,  and 
told  many  anecdotes  of  their  people  and  country.  They 
related  the  history  of  Ireland  from  the  earliest  days,  spoke 
of  the  Partholans  and  their  subsequent  annihilation ;  the 
migration  of  the  Formorians,  the  Nemedhians,  Firbolgs 
and  other  tribes  and  clans  who  belonged  to  the  wooded 
isles  of  the  western  ocean.  They  dilated  on  the  war  with 
the  Norsemen  and  their  final  triumph  by  the  intrepidity 
of  Brian  the  Brave,  in  the  year  1014;  the  invasion  of  their 
country  by  the  army  of  the  Saxon  King;  the  persecutions 
they  endured  from  the  cruel  enactments  of  British  sover 
eigns  and  British  Parliaments;  the  victories  that  had 
sometimes  crowned  their  insurrections;  their  expatriation; 
the  loss  of  their  tongue  by  foreign  importation  and  legal 
proscription;  their  deprivation  of  the  advantages  of  edu 
cation;  the  conquest  of  Napoleon,  with  whom  they  had 
cast  their  fortunes ;  the  coalition  with  the  French  Direc 
tory  for  the  subversion  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  throne;  the 
formation  of  a  fleet  to  co-operate  with  the  army  in  the 
liberation  of  their  country  and  their  defeat  and  disaster  at 
Lough  Swilly.  Then  the  Irish  refugees  detailed  the  story 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  17 

of  their  escape  from  the  English  navy,  and  their  subse 
quent  embarrassment  on  the  sea.  The  strangers  believed 
them  and  explained  why  they  were  suspicious. 

"You  see,"  they  said,  "our  history  is  something  like 
the  story  that  you  tell.  Tradition  states  that  our  ancestors 
came  from  the  continent  of  Asia,  from  the  borders  of  the 
Mediterranean,  from  the  Mountains  of  Israel.  Those 
were  the  ten  tribes,  and  when  they  reached  the  trans-Arctic 
world,  they  divided  the  land  between  them.  The  country 
was  called  New  Israel,  after  our  home  in  Asia.  Then  arose 
the  independent  kingdom  of  Dan,  and  the  kingdom  of 
Reuben,  the  kingdom  of  Zabulon,  the  kingdom  of  Simeon, 
Asher,  Manassah,  keeping  the  names  according  as  they 
existed  in  Palestine.  At  that  distant  period  it  was  be 
lieved  that  there  was  but  one  continent,  but  later  it  was 
discovered  that  there  were  two  great  hemispheres,  separ 
ated  by  two  vast  oceans.  Each  hemisphere  contained  two 
continents,  besides  numerous  islands.  The  sea  on  the  west 
of  New  Israel  was  called  the  sea  of  Abraham,  and  the 
broad  expanse  of  waters  on  the  east  was  named  the  Sea 
of  Moab.  The  ocean  to  the  south  did  not  exist  in  the 
days  of  our  ancestors.  According  to  tradition,  there  was 
a  mighty  earthquake  about  eighteen  hundred  years  ago, 
and  in  that  seismic  convulsion,  the  land  to  the  south,  over 
which  our  fathers  marched  from  Asia  to  this  part  of  the 
earth,  suddenly  vanished,  and  the  wild  ocean  rolled  over 
the  lost  regions." 

"You  say  that  happened  about  eighten  hundred  years 
ago?"  said  Larry  O'Neill. 

"Yes,"  replied  the  Israelites;  "and  our  fathers  were 
appalled,  because  they  thought  that  it  was  the  announce 
ment  of  the  birth  of  the  Messiah,  who,  according  to  our 
prophecies,  was  to  be  born  of  the  house  of  David.  Moses 
says  that  The  adversaries  of  the  Lord  shall  fear  him,  and 
upon  them  shall  he  thunder  in  the  heavens.  The  Lord 
shall  judge  the  ends  of  the  earth,  and  he  shall  give  empire 
to  his  king.' '' 

Mr.  Flynn  then  related  that  Christ,  the  Messiah,  prom 
ised  to  Israel,  had  come  about  that  time,  and  when  He 
was  condemned  on  the  cross,  the  sun  was  darkened,  and 
there  was  a  great  earthquake,  and  other  expressions  of 


1 8  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

nature's  revolt  against  the  crime  of  deicide  perpetrated  by 
the  Jews.  The  story  immediately  gained  credence  among 
the  children  of  the  lost  tribes. 

"What  is  the  name  of  the  ocean  to  the  south?"  ques 
tioned  Terry  O'Shanahan. 

"We  call  that  expanse  of  wave  the  Black  Ocean,  be 
cause  night  broods  over  a  part  of  it  about  four  months  in 
the  year." 

"And  what  is  the  name  of  this  Continent?"  queried 
Terry. 

"This  is  the  Continent  of  Toadia,  and  it  was  discovered 
about  three  hundred  years  ago.  It  is  divided  into  three 
great  divisions,  North,  Central  and  South  Toadia;  and 
these  divisions  have  many  distinct  governments.  Al 
though  Toadias,  who  discovered  this  land,  sailed  in  the 
service  of  Reuben,  yet  it  is  peopled  by  different  nations 
of  New  Israel.  Dan  introduced  colonies  into  North 
Toadia,  while  Reuben  and  Asher  colonized  Central  and 
South  Toadia.  The  North  Toadians  have  rebelled  against 
the  domination  of  Dan,  and  declared  their  independence, 
and  a  war  is  now  progressing  in  that  country." 

"Is  that  so?"  asked  Patrick  Gilhooley.  "Well  be- 
gorra,  we  are  just  fresh  from  the  fight,  and  if  there  is  a 
chance  for  our  hand,  we  will  not  be  slow  in  putting  in  a 
few  strokes." 

The  Captain  asked  how  far  it  was  to  the  capital  of 
North  Toadia,  and  the  natives  informed  him  that  it  was 
about  a  thousand  leagues.  Larry  O'Neill  proposed  to 
join  the  army  of  the  insurgents,  and  the  refugees  shouted, 
with  one  voice: 

"Hurrah  for  Toadia!  Let  us  unfurl  the  green  flag 
and  fight  for  liberty!" 

The  sails  were  spread,  the  cables  were  removed,  and 
the  Rochelle  sped  away,  amidst  the  cheers  of  the  natives 
and  the  songs  of  the  Irish  bards. 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 


CHAPTER  II. 

Solomon,  whose  glory  has  been  the  theme  of  many  a 
poet,  and  whose  wisdom  has  dazzled  nations  and  ages; 
Solomon,  who  crowned  Mount  Moria  with  a  temple  of 
beauty,  wealth  and  splendor,  where  the  sacrifice  and  the 
prayers  of  Israel  were  offered,  and  where  the  love  of  a  de 
voted  people  was  enthroned;  Solomon,  whose  voice  was 
the  voice  of  prophecy,  whose  visions  were  mighty  armies 
of  angels,  whose  dreams  were  the  thoughts  of  God,  and 
whose  songs  have  echoed  among  the  massive  columns 
and  through  the  dimly  lighted  cathedral  aisles  in  every 
Christian  land;  this  renowned  man  was  a  paradoxical  ex 
emplification  of  virtue  and  vice  This  king,  sage  and 
oracle,  forgot  the  messages  of  heaven,  which  he  delivered 
to  the  children  of  Abraham;  forgot  the  promises  made  to 
the  father  of  his  race;  forgot  the  mystic  rod  that  hid  the 
golden  sheen  of  day  with  the  sable  curtain  of  night,  that 
transmuted  silvery  streams  into  gory  floods,  that  filled 
the  land  of  Egypt  with  the  shadows  of  death  and  the  sighs 
of  the  grave,  that  dispersed  the  waves  and  called  forth  a 
limpid  fountain  from  a  solid  rock.  This  mighty  voice  of 
revelation  forgot  the  Deity  clad  in  the  flames  of  the  stormy 
skies;  forgot  the  magic  sound  of  Josua's  trumpet  and  the 
crash  and  fall  of  a  doomed  city;  forgot  the  battles  won 
by  the  sword  of  martial  angels;  forgot  the  ministers  of 
vengeance  that  smote  the  camp  of  Assyria,  and  the  retri 
bution  that  fell  on  the  hosts  of  David.  In  his  wealth  and 
luxury,  the  inspired  king,  seduced  by  the  fascinations  of 
his  pagan  wives,  stained  the  altar  of  Moloch  with  the 
blood  of  sacrifice  and  paid  homage  to  Astarthe,  the  god 
dess  of  the  Sidonians.  And  God  spoke  to  Solomon,  say 
ing:  "Because  thou  hast  done  this,  and  hast  not  kept  my 
covenant  and  my  precepts,  which  I  have  commanded  thee, 
I  will  divide  and  rend  thy  kingdom,  and  I  will  give  it  to 
thy  servant.  Nevertheless,  in  thy  days  I  will  not  do  it,  for 
David  thy  father's  sake,  but  I  will  rend  it  out  of  the  hand 
of  thy  son.  Neither  will  I  take  away  the  whole  kingdom, 


20  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

but  I  will  give  one  tribe  to  thy  son,  for  the  sake  of  David 
my  servant,  and  Jerusalem  which  I  have  chosen."  This 
prophecy  was  fulfilled  in  the  next  reign,  when  the  ten 
tribes,  rebelling  against  the  unjust  and  exorbitant  taxa 
tion,  chose  Jeroboam,  one  of  Solomon's  servants,  for  their 
king;  while  the  tribes  of  Benjamin  and  Judah  remained 
faithful  to  Roboam.  Thus  was  established  the  independ 
ent  kingdom  of  Israel.  For  two  hundred  and  fifty-two 
years  the  ten  tribes  maintained  a  separate  existence.  Jero 
boam  designated  Bethel  and  Dan  as  the  places  where 
Israel  should  offer  worship  to  God.  A  new  priesthood 
was  ordained,  and  soon  the  land  was  cursed  with  the 
abominations  of  pagan  vices  and  superstitions.  Elias 
spoke  in  vain.  The  clouds  of  heaven  refused  their  moisture, 
the  voice  of  Baal  was  silent  in  the  hour  of  need,  and  the 
earth  was  crimsoned  with  the  blood  of  his  priests.  Israel's 
iniquities  cried  to  the  throne  of  God  for  vengeance.  The 
day  of  chastisement  came.  Salmanasar  laid  siege  to  Sa 
maria,  the  capital  of  their  kingdom.  After  three  years  and 
six  months,  the  city  was  taken,  and  the  hosts  of  Israel 
were  led  captive  into  Assyria,  in  the  year  722;  and  thus 
ended  forever,  as  men  have  vainly  thought,  the  independ 
ent  kingdom  of  the  ten  tribes. 

Ethnologists  and  students  of  history  have  searched 
every  known  spot  on  earth  in  quest  of  the  lost  houses  of 
Israel.  The  history  of  the  Jews,  their  decline,  dispersion 
and  peregrinations,  is  the  most  interesting  and  remarkable 
narrative  that  has  ever  been  written  by  the  pen  of  man. 
An  enthralled  people  on  the  borders  of  the  Nile  cry  to  the 
God  of  Abraham,  and  Jehovah  appears  to  Moses  on  the 
summit  of  Horeb.  The  Hebrew  legislator  conducts  the 
flight  of  his  countrymen,  and  that  little  band  of  fugitives 
grew  into  a  nation  which  has  been  blessed  with  immor 
tality.  The  voice  of  prophecy  has  long  ceased  to  fill  her 
temples,  and  the  wings  of  angels  are  no  more  spread  above 
her  Holy  of  Holies;  and  yet  Judah  has  left  her  impress 
upon  every  civilized  land.  The  Jew  is  known  everywhere. 
The  blood  of  Abraham  still  rolls  in  his  veins,  unchanged 
by  the  tide  of  time,  and  the  birth  of  empires  and  the  death 
of  nations.  The  Egyptians  were  far  more  powerful,  far 
more  enlightened  and  far  more  numerous;  yet  the  children 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK   OCEAN  21 

of  the  Pharaohs  are  known  only  by  the  ruins  of  their 
cities  and  temples  and  pyramids.  The  Chaldeans  and 
Assyrians  were  masters  of  the  Orient,  when  Israel's1 
prophets  wept  over  the  desolation  of  their  lands.  And 
these  people  now  live  only  in  the  buried  splendor  of  Nine 
veh  and  Babylon.  -Greece  was  a  land  of  art  and  genius, 
and  the  harp  of  the  muse  has  consecrated  all  her  foun 
tains,  vales  and  groves.  What  sacred  names  cluster 
around  that  immortal  land!  What  glorious  memories  are 
enshrined  in  the  verse  of  her  bards!  What  dauntless  he 
roes  pass  before  the  fancy,  as  it  wanders  back  to  the  golden 
days  of  Corinth,  Sparta  and  Athens!  Orators,  statesmen, 
warriors,  sculptors,  poets,  painters!  Come  forth,  ye 
deathless  shades,  and  tell  us  whither  has  vanished  thy 
classic  lore!  Come  forth,  ye  mighty  men  of  song,  ye 
mental  giants  and  pioneers  of  progress,  ye  children  of 
genius  that  have  filled  the  world  with  noble  thoughts  and 
divine  inspirations!  Come  forth  from  the  tomb  of  the 
ages,  ye  tutors  of  Dante  and  Petrarch,  Milton  and  Shelley! 
Come  forth  from  the  silent  dust,  ye  noble  spirits  who 
breathed  upon  the  soul  of  Raphael  and  Angelo,  Titian  and 
Correggio,  and  inspired  them  with  visions  of  lifeless 
beauty  that  rival  the  grandest  works  of  God!  Come  forth, 
Phidias  and  Praxiteles,  who  carved  the  smile  and  tear  and 
clad  the  marble  with  every  expression  of  human  passion 
and  sentiment!  Come  from  your  long  forgotten  graves 
and  moldering  mausoleums,  Plato  and  Socrates,  Zeno  and 
Aristotle,  and  dissipate  the  cloud  that  envelopes  the  lost 
glory  of  thy  immortal  land!  Why  have  ye,  famed  chil 
dren  of  the  gods,  left  no  successors?  Where  is  inhumed 
the  treasures  of  your  race?  Where  is  buried  the  glory  of 
your  race?  The  history  of  Athens  is  closed.  Her  halls  are 
silent  and  the  stones  of  her  academies  mingle  with  the 
dust  of  her  great  men.  The  vales  of  Greece  no  more  re 
sound  with  the  voice  of  the  lyre,  and  the  harp  is  silent  in 
her  groves.  Let  us  leave  the  rocks  of  Athens,  swept  by 
the  Aegean  Sea,  and  wander  to  the  throne  of  the  Caesars, 
on  the  shores  of  the  Tiber.  The  Imperial  Eagles  floated 
over  every  land,  from  the  billows  of  the  Persian  Gulf  to 
Ultima  Thule,  and  the  power  of  Rome  was  feared  by  all 
the  nations  and  tribes,  from  the  sandy  desert  of  Libya  to 


22  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

the  land  of  the  midnight  sun.  She  had  aggregated  the 
gods  of  all  peoples.  She  had  appropriated  the  wealth  and 
learning  of  the  world.  Her  subjects  numbered  one  hun 
dred  and  eighty  millions,  and  her  coffers  were  filled  with 
the  tributes  of  her  conquered  dominions.  Genius,  art  and 
science  flourished  in  her  halls.  Eloquence  resounded 
among  the  stately  columns  of  her  forum.  Luxury  filled 
her  homes,  elegance  adorned  her  palaces,  and  in  the  height 
of  her  pride  and  in  the  full  assurance  of  her  durability, 
she  called  herself  the  Eternal  City.  The  palaces  of  the 
Caesars  are  buried,  the  temples  of  her  gods  are  in  ruins; 
there  is  nothing  left  of  the  forum  but  a  few  broken  pillars; 
the  Colosseum  is  tottering;  and  this  is  all  that  remains  to 
perpetuate  the  name  of  Pagan  Rome.  New  peoples  have 
come  down  from  the  German  Ocean  and  the  Baltic  Sea 
and  pitched  their  tents  upon  the  ruins  of  the  Empire; 
young  nations  have  sprung  up  on  the  borders  of  the  Adri 
atic  and  the  Mediterranean;  young  republics  have 
crowned  the  Umbrian  hills  and  the  rocks  of  the  Maritime 
Alps ;  a  new  tongue  has  supplanted  the  old ;  new  customs 
and  manners  lend  their  assistance  in  obliterating  the  last 
vestiges  of  the  ancient  Empire,  and  the  Roman  name  lives 
only  in  the  history  of  the  past,  in  the  monuments  of  genius 
that  have  made  the  City  of  the  Twins  the  shrine  of  art,  the 
sanctuary  of  science  and  the  throne  of  power. 

Yet  amidst  these  mighty  revolutions  and  vast  up 
heavals,  the  'birth  and  death  of  nations,  the  origin  and  de 
cay  of  peoples,  the  Jews  have  remained  distinct  and  un 
scathed,  and,  though  small  in  numbers,  have  exerted  an 
influence  on  the  civilization  of  every  land  and  left  the  im 
press  of  their  footsteps  in  every  clime.  Condemned  to  wear 
a  peculiar  garb,  disfranchised,  burdened  with  unjust  taxa 
tions,  prohibited  from  social  intercourse  among  them 
selves,  forbidden  to  read  the  Talmud,  forced  to  hear 
Christian  sermons,  confined  in  the  walled  Ghettos  from 
twilight  till  dawn,  expelled  from  nearly  every  city  in  Italy, 
burned  by  the  Inquisition  of  Spain,  banished  from  Portu 
gal  and  their  children  taken  from  them,  massacred  in  En 
gland  regardless  of  age  and  sex,  persecuted  in  France, 
proscribed  in  Germany,  the  Jewish  blood  remains  un 
changed,  and  their  sacred  traditions  are  hallowed  by  all 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  23 

the  centuries  of  their  exile.  They  were  the  merchants,  the 
bankers,  the  financiers  of  the  world.  Without  them,  the 
past  history  of  commerce  would  'be  shorn  of  its  glory. 
Proscribed  in  the  land  of  the  Goth,  they  seek  refuge  in 
the  glimmer  of  the  Crescent,  mingle  with  the  savage  pi 
rates  and  fierce  Moors,  and  establish  their  temples  in  the 
shadow  of  the  Mosque,  unmolested  by  the  swarthy  sons 
of  the  desert.  Their  power  flourishes'  in  the  European 
dominions  of  the  Ottoman  Empire,  and  they  appropriate 
the  trade  of  the  Levant.  They  pursue  their  traffic  in 
Venice,  Genoa,  Pisa,  Parma,  Florence,  Padua,  Mantua, 
Leghorn,  Cremona. 

The  scions  of  the  same  blood,  untrammeled  by  the 
gyves  of  bondage,  developing  their  natural  capacity,  un 
folding  their  God-given  faculties,  without  restriction, 
without  discrimination,  have  trodden  the  path  of  glory 
and  established  an  empire  grander  than  Chaldea  and  As 
syria  when  Nineveh  and  Babylon  adorned  the  valley  of 
the  Tigris  and  Euphrates,  and  when  their  brazen  gates  and 
minarets  and  spires  glittered  in  the  golden  sheen  of  an 
oriental  sky;  grander  than  Egypt  when  her  magnificent 
mausoleums  were  swept  by  the  wandering  clouds;  grand 
er  than  Greece  when  Helicon  was  the  shrine  of  the  Muse, 
and  bards  sought  Parnassus  to  drink  from  Castalia's  crys 
tal  fountain;  grander  than  Rome  in  the  palmiest  days  of 
her  strength  and  glory;  grander  than  Spain  when  the  sun 
never  set  on  her  vast  dominions;  grander  than  France 
when  the  Corsican  was  crowned  with  the  laurels  of  victory 
and  the  tricolor  floated  in  triumph  over  fallen  empires; 
grander  than  England  to-day  when  her  ships  have  broken 
the  waves  on  every  sea,  and  her  sails  have  been  unfurled 
beneath  every  sky.  Released  from  captivity,  the  children 
of  Israel  determined  to  seek  a  retreat  where  they  would 
not  be  molested  by  the  armies  of  powerful  nations.  Achaz 
was  their  leader.  He  addressed  the  disciples  of  his  creed 
and  the  brethren  of  his  blood. 

"Lo!  our  fathers  were  enthralled  in  Egypt.  Jehovah 
conducted  our  flight  by  day  with  the  shadow  of  his  wing, 
and  illuminated  our  march  at  night  with  the  glory  of  his 
countenance.  We  fought  the  Amelecites  and  Raphidim 
in  the  desert  of  Sin,  and  Moses  and  Aaron  and  Hur  went 


24  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

to  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  Moses  lifted  up  his  hands  to 
heaven  in  prayer,  and  the  hosts  of  Amalec  were  put  to 
flight  by  the  sword  of  Josua.  Our  army  conquered  Sehon, 
king  of  the  Amorrhites,  and  overthrew  Og,  king  of  Basan. 
We  were  led  across  the  Jordan  into  the  Land  of  Promise, 
and  miracles  and  victories  crowned  the  march  of  Josua. 
Walled  cities  fell-  and  hostile  tribes  vanished.  Angels  led 
our  warriors  to  the  battle  fields,  and  God  blessed  our  land 
with  abundance.  But  great  nations  now  beset  us,  and  we 
have  no  Moses.  Josua  is  dead,  our  valiant  leaders  are  all 
gone,  our  people  are  divided,  our  land  is  cursed  with 
abominations,  our  country  is  in  the  hand  of  strangers, 
our  homes  are  in  ruins,  and  we  are  forsaken  by  Jehovah. 
Let  us,  children  of  Abraham,  abandon  the  land  of  our 
inheritance,  and  the  graves  of  our  sires,  and  seek  conso 
lation  in  the  solitude  of  the  forest,  where  no  other  nation 
dwells." 

Thus  spake  Achaz,  the  leader  of  the  tribes,  and  that 
mighty  army  went  forth  from  the  realms  of  the  Assyrian 
in  search  of  a  new  home,  where  they  could  erect  their 
altars  in  peace,  and  please  God  with  a  pure  sacrifice,  un 
molested  by  invasions  from  powerful  chiefs  and  armed 
legions.  Onward  they  moved  in  serried  phalanxes  along 
the  shores  of  the  Caspian  Sea,  over  the  steppes  of  Embim, 
across  the  Obi  River  and  through  the  wilderness  of  the 
far  north.  Seven  hundred  years  before,  they  had  made 
their  first  Exodus  from  the  empire  of  the  Pharaohs,  and 
it  was  nearly  forty  years  before  they  reached  the  land  over 
flowing  with  milk  and  honey.  It  was  just  forty  years  from 
the  time  they  left  their  captivity  on  the  rivers  of  Babylon 
till  they  pitched  their  tents  in  the  land  of  their  dreams,  the 
fair  Utopia  beyond  the  Arctic.  In  those  remote  days,  the 
broad  Continent  of  Asia  stretched  out  in  extent  to  the 
regions  that  lie  northward  of  what  is  generally  supposed 
by  astronomers  to  be  the  pole  of  the  earth.  This  world 
has  existed  in  the  dreams  of  poets  and  visionaries,  and 
adventurous  navigators  have  lost  their  lives  in  journeying 
•thither.  They  vainly  thought  that  they  were  within  a 
short  distance  of  the  north  pole  when  they  went  beyond 
eighty  degrees  of  latitude.  The  earth  is  not  a  spheroid. 
In  the  early  history  of  the  world,  and  as  late  as  the  era  of 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  2$ 

Israel's  second  migration,  the  earth  was  in  the  form  of  a 
double  sphere  united  at  what  is  called  by  our  geographers 
the  north  pole.  In  the  days  of  Israel's  flight,  the  curva 
ture  of  our  part  of  the  earth  ceased  at  sixty-six  degrees, 
the  region  of  the  Arctic  Circle,  the  border  of  the  north 
frigid  zone,  and  there  began  a  broad  expanse  of  tableland, 
extending  over  an  area  of  forty-six  degrees.  The  winter 
nights  of  the  Arctic  region  never  fell  on  this  immense 
plateau,  though  the  winter  days  were  of  short  duration. 
About  six  hundred  years  after  the  lost  tribes  arrived  in  the 
land  of  their  destination,  a  mighty  earthquake  shook  the 
polar  world.  Cataclysms  followed  the  seismic  convulsion, 
the  waves  rushed  in  from  neighboring  seas,  and  the  Arctic 
Ocean  was  formed  on  the  ruins  of  a  lost  land. 

Many  times  have  continents  vanished  and  reappeared 
in  the  geological  history  of  the  earth.  There  are 
chalk  deposits  in  England,  varying  from  several  hun 
dred  to  a  thousand  feet  in  thickness.  This  chalk 
area  is  found  to  extend  from  the  western  coast  of 
Ireland,  through  England,  Denmark,  Germany,  Po 
land,  Russia,  along  the  coast  of  North  Africa,  to  Ara 
bia.  Scientists  have  proved  that  chalk  is  formed  of  globi- 
gerena,  the  shells  of  a  species  of  aquatic  organisms. 
Hence,  the  sea  must,  at  some  time,  have  rolled  its  restless 
billows  over  central  Europe  from  the  western  coast  to 
Syria.  But  between  the  chalk  are  found  strata  of  vege 
table  deposits,  the  trunks  of  trees,  and  hence  we  have  evi 
dence  that  the  ocean  receded  again,  and  gardens  flour 
ished  on  the  regions  that  were  once  swept  by  the  waves. 
The  story  of  the  Lost  Atlantis  is  familiar  to  the  student  of 
Plato,  and  what  are  all  those  islands  of  the  deep  but  the 
remains  of  buried  continents?  Thus  likewise  perished 
the  connecting  link  betwen  us  and  the  ultra-Arctic  world. 
Thus  was  broken  the  relations  between  Israel  and  the  rest 
of  mankind,  and  thus  originated  those  countries  of  the  far 
north,  where  that  genius  and  durability  which  character 
ized  the  Jews  amidst  all  the  vicissitudes  of  ages  and  na 
tions,  have  been  emphasized  in  the  foundation  and  devel 
opment  of  a  democracy  that  answers  to  all  the  dreams  of 
reformers. 

The  Israelites  divided  the  land  among  themselves, 


26  SEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

each  taking  a  portion,  and  each  country  assuming  the 
name  of  its  tribe.  There  were  yet  vast  tracts  unoccupied, 
and  disputes  arose  and  wars  were  waged  over  the  posses 
sion  of  these  common  lands.  Distinct  religions  grew  up 
in  the  course  of  centuries,  followed  by  distinct  laws  and 
constitutions.  Persecution  was  often  applied  to  quell  in 
ternal  insurrections  and  defections  from  the  established 
worship  of  each  country.  About  four  hundred  years  ago, 
Toadias,  an  adventurer,  discovered  a  new  world  beyond 
the  great  ocean  which  formed  the  western  boundary  of 
the  vast  country  first  inhabited  by  the  ten  tribes.  For 
nearly  three  hundred  years  this  new  world  became  the 
refuge  of  the  oppressed  in  every  land.  It  was  called,  in 
honor  of  its  discoverer,  Toadia.  The  kingdom  of  Dan  be 
gan  to  exercise  a  sovereignty  over  Toadia,  and  though 
frequently  remonstrated  with,  she  still  continued  to  bur 
den  the  infant  nation  with  exorbitant  taxation.  In  the 
Parliament  of  Dan,  no  representative  of  Toadia  had  a 
voice,  no  petitions  were  answered,  no  grievances  were  re 
dressed,  no  pleading  was  recognized.  Armed  legions  were 
billeted  on  the  people  to  enforce  the  unjust  legislation  of 
the  mother  country,  as  she  was  called,  and  the  goddess  of 
Liberty  that  had  led  the  oppressed  children  across  the 
trackless  waste  of  waves  to  the  shores  of  the  west,  seemed 
destined  to  perish  in  the  wilds  of  the  New  World, 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  Rochelle  had  met  with  many  adventures  on  its 
way  to  the  capital  of  North  Toadia.  When  she  was  out 
about  twenty  days,  a  Danish  man-of-war  crossed  her  path 
and  demanded  her  surrender,  and  the  Irish  being  in  no 
position  to  resist,  were  compelled  to  submit.  A  storm 
swept  over  the  North  Abraham  Sea  and  almost  demol 
ished  the  rigging  of  the  vessel.  The  Rochelle  attempted 
to  escape  during  one  night  from  the  custody  of  the  Danish 
ship,  but  her  movements  were  detected  and  she  was  over- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  2/ 

taken.  Finally  a  Toadian  fleet  of  several  vessels  hove  in 
sight,  and  the  enemy  abandoned  its  prey  and  sought 
safety  in  flight,  and  thus  the  Irish  fell  into  the  hands  of 
their  friends.  Not  knowing  the  mission  of  the  Rochelle, 
or  under  what  flag  she  sailed,  for  the  banner  of  Erin  was 
a  mystery  to  the  trans-arctic  world,  she  was  captured  as  a 
war  prize.  The  Toadian  seamen  thought  that  the  green 
flag  represented  some  piratical  nation  from  the  distant 
islands  of  the  Moabitic  Sea,  and  they  were  determined 
to  secure  the  booty  on  board.  After  thirty  days  on  the 
deep,  the  Rochelle  was  towed  into  Baleh  Bay,  where 
Lidda  could  be  seen  in  the  distance.  On  reaching  the 
wharf,  the  Irish  were  interrogated  by  the  authorities,  and 
having  presented  overtures  of  friendship,  and  given  a 
reasonable  account  of  their  sudden  appearance  in  this 
part  of  the  world,  they  were  allowed  to  disembark.  The 
inhabitants  thronged  the  dock  to  learn  something  of  these 
strange  visitants  from  the  distant  south,  whence  had  wan 
dered  their  ancestors  to  New  Israel.  James  O'Malley,  the 
best  spokesman  in  the  band,  represented  the  company. 

"We  are  Irishmen  who  were  fighting  for  our  freedom, 
and  in  attempting  to  escape  from  a  superior  force,  we  have 
drifted  into  this  new  world.  We  are  your  friends  because 
you  are  fighting  for  a  cause  that  has  drained  the  blood  of 
our  country  for  six  centuries ;  and  we  are  now  ready  to 
join  your  ranks  and  sacrifice  our  lives  on  the  altar  of 
liberty." 

If  angels  had  come  down  in  visible  forms  from  the 
clouds,  it  would  not  have  been  more  sensational  than  the 
appearance  of  these  visitants  from  the  southern  world. 
The  traditions  which  had  grown  vague  and  misty  in  the 
lapse  of  ages  were  suddenly  revived.  In  their  escape  from 
captivity,  the  lost  tribes  wished  to  isolate  themselves  for 
ever,  and  when  the  Arctic  Ocean  was  formed,  convulsive 
sighs  echoed  through  New  Israel  like  the  trumpet  of  doom, 
and  the  wanderers  from  the  land  of  Ur,  regarded  this  as 
a  stroke  of  divine  intervention,  creating  a  barrier  be 
tween  them  and  their  foes.  In  the  parliament  of  the 
nations,  a  law  was  early  passed  forbidding  any  one  to 
navigate  the  Arctic  Ocean  farther  than  one  thousand 
miles,  that  knowledge  of  their  existence  might  forever 


28  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

remain  a  hidden  mystery  to  the  people  of  southern  lands. 
Therefore,  on  that  beautiful,  balmy  morning,  when  the 
Rochelle  was  towed  up  the  Baleh  Bay,  many  thought  that 
the  passengers  were  captured  invaders.  Others  presumed 
that  they  were  adventurers  or  discoverers  who  had  braved 
the  cold  and  clouds  and  winds  and  waves  of  the  Black 
Ocean  in  quest  of  new  worlds.  Again  there  were  not  a  few 
who  revived  the  ancient  traditions,  now  almost  forgotten, 
that  a  Savior  would  come  after  some  thousand  years,  and 
restore  the  tribes  to  the  land  of  their  ancestors,  and  make 
their  empire  the  dominant  power  to  rule  all  nations.  It 
was  deemed  prudent  not  to  trust  the  refugees  with  arms, 
until  more  should  be  known  of  their  character,  and,  if 
possible,  their  antecedents.  Hence,  they  were  conducted 
to  the  barracks  adjoining  the  city  of  Lidda,  where  they 
were  royally  entertained.  Fort  Bethel  became  the  ren 
dezvous  of  people  of  every  description  and  disposition, 
all  anxious  to  see  and  converse  with  the -strange  visitants. 
The  Irish  told  them  many  amusing  stories  about  their 
experience  in  the  rebellion,  and  their  pilgrimage  to  the 
land  of  Toadia.  Nothing  in  the  Arabian  Nights  could  be 
more  astonishing  to  the  average  American  than  these 
fictions  sounded  to  the  Toadians.  Darby  McKeown  says 
that  an  Irishman  must  always  be  humbugging  somebody, 
and  if  he  can  find  no  one  else,  "it  is  out  of  himself  that  he 
is  taking  rises." 

Teddy  Mahony  related  the  story  of  the  Irish  giant. 
"In  the  arly  days  of  our  counthry,  there  was  a  man  be  the 
name  of  Fin  McCoul.  He  was  the  biggest  man  that  ever 
lived.  He  could  crass  the  Irish  Say  in  siven  stips.  Wan 
day  it  was  very  moody  and  as  Fin  was  walking  along,  a 
pile  of  mood  stuck  to  wan  of  his  fate,  and  the  hole  made 
after  that  mood  was  gone,  was  called  Lough  Neigh,  a 
lough  twelve  miles  long.  Sure,  ye  niver  had  a  man  that 
size  in  yeer  counthry !" 

The  Toadians  now  began  to  recall  the  story  of  giants 
recorded  in  their  sacred  books  and  in  the  memory  of  their 
great  men,  and  thought,  perhaps,  that. these  visitors  were 
the  scions  of  the  ancient  Canaanites,  who  had  come  to 
their  country  as  spies.  A  few  suggested  that  they  were 
emissaries  from  the  land  of  Dan  ;  but  this  supposition  was 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  29 

quickly  dismissed,  for  the  features,  manners,  customs  and 
speech,  truly  indicated  their  origin.  It  was  argued  by 
the  statesmen  that  it  would  not  be  safe  to  imperil  the 
country  by  giving  arms  to  these  refugees,  or  to  trust  them 
with  any  confidence.  But  the  Irish  were  as  happy  as 
larks  to  see  that  they  had  attracted  so  much  attention. 
Bat  McGraw  kept  the  Toadians  laughing  by  his  eccen 
tricities. 

"I  am  from  the  Lakes  of  Killarney,  the  most  famous 
spot  in  the  world.  At  the  head  of  the  upper  lake  is  the 
Black  Valley,  where  the  devil  held  his  court  in  the  days  of 
the  Druids.  And  in  this  same  valley  is  a  great  black 
stone,  black  as  an  ace  of  spades,  and  this  is  the  stone  that 
the  auld  boy  threw  at  St.  Patrick.  The  upper  lake  is  two 
and  a  half  miles  long  and  contains  four  hundred  and  thirty 
acres,  and  Lough  Leane  covers  five  thousand  acres.  No 
where  in  all  the  world  have  ye  sech  beautiful  scenery. 
O'Sullivan's  cascade,  leaping  down  the  mountain  side 
from  rock  to  rock,  is  equal  to  the  cascades  of  Switzer 
land.  Oh !  but  you  know  nothing  of  Switzerland !  Well, 
it  is  the  most  picturesque  country  in  the  world,  but  it  is 
only  a  bubble  to  Ireland.  Now,  I'll  tell  yez  something 
about  the  freaks  of  the  auld  lad  in  those  quarters.  One 
fine  morning  in  January,  the  divil  was  out  early  looking 
for  his  gay  birds,  the  landlords,  and  to  warm  his  blood, 
he  wanted  a  bit  of  punch,  but  he  had  no  vessel  to  stir  the 
ingredients.  So  in  his  mad  spell,  he  takes  a  bite  out  of 
the  mountain  and  threw  it  into  the  water,  making  a  little 
island  which^is  called  Divil's  Bit  Island.  Thin  he  takes 
the  hole  which  was  created  by  the  evacuation  and  he 
makes  a  punch-bowl,  and  this  is  known  to  this  day  as  the 
Divil's  Punch-bowl." 

Bat  was  followed  by  Jerry  Sullivan,  Dan  Murphy  and 
Tim  Daley,  who  kept  the  Toadians  amused  and  amazed. 
A  consultation  was  held  among  the  natives,  and  they 
concluded  to  give  the  Irish  a  chance  in  battle,  as  they 
seemed  to  be  anxious  to  fight.  They  were  consequently 
accoutred  and  assigned  to  their  regiments,  divided  so  that 
treason  would  be  impossible.  A  few  days  afterwards,  the 
Danites  moved  down  on  Bekek,  took  that  place,  which 
was  without  garrison,  and  marched  on  towards  Tekoat. 


30  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

They  were  met  by  the  Toadians,  and  a  battle  was  im 
minent.  Jerry  Sullivan  was  enlisted  in  the  regiment  un 
der  the  command  of  General  Asa.  When  Jerry  saw  the 
Danites,  he  said : 

"The  dirty  divils !  and  they  are  coming"  to  take  our 
country  !  Sure,  they  are  only  a  party  of  ragamuffins.  Two 
hundred  Irishmen,  with  shelalahs,  would  lather  the  life 
out  of  thim  lads.  They  are  the  dead-spit  of  them  cut 
throat  English  that  we  have  been  fighting  over  there 
beyant  the  Black  Ocean.  If  ye  give  us  half  a  chance, 
we'll  be  after  flailing  them  blackguards  till  ye  would  hear 
them  crying  in  London." 

The  Danites  occupied  an  eminence,  and  the  Toadians 
were  necessitated  to  ascend  a  steep  acclivity.  General 
Asa  gave  the  command  to  lie  down,  that  the  volleys  from 
the  enemies'  guns  might  pass  over  their  heads. 

"Faith,  I  won't  thin !"  said  Jerry  Sullivan.  "I  didn't 
jine  this  regiment  to  lie  down  like  a  thieving  coward,  but 
to  stand  up  and  fight  like  a  man.  Troth,  Gineral,  if  ye 
want  to  lie  down,  I'll  say  nothing  about  it,  but  an  Irish 
man  will  never  hide  his  head  from  thim  infernal  scoun 
drels." 

Shamus  Mulligan  ran  to  the  front,  waving  the  green 
flag,  crying  out,  "Hurrah  for  ould  Ireland!"  Every  son 
of  Erin  started  in  response  to  the  slogan,  and  the  brave 
refugees  rushed  up  the  steep  ascent,  into  the  very  jaws  of 
death.  The  Toadians  were  inspired  by  their  valor,  and  in 
a  wild,  reckless,  daring  march,  they  gained  the  summit  of 
the  hill,  to  the  amazement  of  the  enemy,  who  fled  panic- 
stricken  from  the  field. 

The  most  magnificent  victory  of  the  campaign  was 
won  that  day,  with  a  very  insignificant  loss  of  life  among 
the  Toadians,  and  with  terrible  slaughter  of  the  Danites. 
The  news  was  heralded  all  over  the  country.  The  Irish 
soldiers  were  collected  into  one  regiment  and  Martin 
Callihan  was  made  General.  This  regiment  mowed  down 
the  invader  at  Tirzot,  Sharon,  Jehud,  Askalon,  Ziglog, 
Berrl,  Zablon,  Zezreel  and  Sopan.  Irishmen  were  se 
lected  as  officers  in  many  brigades,  and  they  covered 
themselves  with  glory  in  every  field  of  action,  during  the 
cruel  and  bloody  war  against  the  infant  nation. 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  3! 

The  government  of  Simeon  recognized  the  indepen 
dence  of  the  country,  sent  a  fleet  to  Toadian  waters,  dis 
patched  twenty-five  thousand  of  the  trained  soldiers  of 
the  kingdom  to  fight  the  Danite  forces  on  land,  and  in 
every  way  assisted  the  aspirants  to  liberty.  Reuben  ac 
knowledged  the  Republic  of  Toadia,  and  sustained  her 
acknowledgement  with  money,  men  and  supplies. 
Ephraim,  a  little  country  that  had  been  conquered,  spoil- 
ated  and  persecuted  by  Dan  for  three  centuries,  poured 
out  her  columns  to  strengthen  the  Toadian  battalions. 
Noblemen  from  Manasseh  spent  their  fortunes  and  offered 
their  lives  for  the  freedom  of  the  new  Republic. 

Those  determined  hosts,  fighting  side  by  side  in  the 
jungles  of  the  new  world  beyond  the  Abrahamic  waves, 
appalled  the  Danish  lords,  who  never  dreamed  of  defeat. 
The  invaders  fell  on  the  mountain  crag  and  their  blood 
ran  in  the  valley.  Every  mead  and  grove  was  conse 
crated  by  the  goddess  of  victory,  and  the  song  of  freedom 
echoed  through  every  glade  and  dell,  and  was  borne  along 
by  every  brook  and  rill.  Solomon  and  Abel,  noble  sons 
of  persecuted  Ephraim,  poured  forth  their  eloquence  in 
defense  of  Toadian  rights  in  the  Danish  Parliament.  The 
trans-arctic  world  rejoiced  in  the  humiliation  of  that 
brutal  empire  which  had  sucked  the  blood  of  the  nations 
for  a  period  of  three  hundred  years.  Misfortunes,  re 
verses,  depressions  on  one  side,  triumph,  successes,  hope 
on  the  other,  terminated  in  the  disaster  of  Asad,  when  the 
Danish  fleet  was  destroyed  on  sea  and  the  Danish  army 
annihilated  on  land.  The  flag  of  the  monarch  was  hum 
bled,  and  the  flag  of  liberty  floated  proudly  from  every 
spire  in  the  realm  of  Toadia. 

A  constitution  was  drafted  and  adopted,  giving  to 
eevry  citizen  of  the  Republic  the  right  of  franchise.  Each 
State  should  have  its  autonomy.  The  State  Legislature, 
which  enjoyed  the  prerogative  of  making  the  State  laws, 
should  consist  of  a  house  of  Representatives  and  a  house 
of  Senators,  both  houses  being  chosen  by  the  voters. 
Each  county  and  municinality  had  the  right  to  make  de 
crees  governing  local  affairs.  The  national  government 
consisted  of  two  houses.  The  lower  house  was  elected 
by  the  popular  vote,  and  the  upper  house  was  chosen  by 


32  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

the  voice  of  the  State  legislatures.  The  President  of  the 
Republic  was  chosen  by  the  electoral  votes,  there  being 
as  many  electors  as  members  in  both  houses  of  the  Fed 
eral  Government.  Congress,  or  the  lower  house,  had  the 
right  to  declare  war  and  the  President  was  commander- 
in-chief  of  the  army  and  nation.  In  fact,  the  government 
of  Toadia  was  in  every  particular  the  same  as  the  United 
States. 

The  Toadians  were  not  the  first  inhabitants  of  the 
country,  but  they  were  preceded  by  a  race  of  barbarians, 
whom  they  called  the  Scythians.  These  tribes,  that  roamed 
over  this  broad  country,  were  friendly  to  the  colonists 
from  the  land  of  New  Israel,  but  the  Danish  spirit  of  con 
quest  and  spoliation,  and  brutality,  had  early  engendered 
hostilities  between  the  aborigines  and  the  early  immi 
grants,  and  this  spirit  of  avarice,  inherited  from  the 
mother  country,  as  Dan  was  called,  grew,  in  the  de 
scendants  of  the  pioneers,  with  the  roll  of  the  decades. 
The  Scythians  were  pushed  farther  back  into  the  wilder 
ness  ;  their  houses  were  burned,  the  graves  of  their  sires 
were  desecrated,  their  religious  instincts  were  outraged, 
their  warriors  were  massacred.  The  blood  of  the  brave 
mingled  with  the  mountain  dust,  the  bones  of  fallen 
heroes  bleached  in  the  valleys,  and  the  land  of  Toadia, 
from  the  Sea  of  Abraham  in  the  east  to  the  far-away 
cedars  of  Libanus  in  the  west,  became  the  cemetery  of  the 
conquered  race.  Well  might  the  vanishing  people  weep 
over  the  loss  of  their  happy  hunting  ground. 

Since  the  establishment  of  the  Toadian  Republic,  the 
tide  of  immigration  flowed  over  the  western  waves  to  that 
land  of  liberty.  The  sons  of  Ephraim,  especially,  took 
advantage  of  this  asylum  of  peace  and  freedom,  which 
their  brethren  had  consecrated  with  their  blood.  Al 
though  a  very  small  percentage  of  the  inhabitants  were 
of  Danish  origin,  and  this  decreased  every  year,  owing 
to  the  large  influx  from  other  Israelitic  nations,  yet  a 
large  portion  of  the  people  of  Toadia  generally  boasted 
of  their  Danish  blood,  and  the  government  usually  dis 
criminated  against  other  powers  in  favor  of  the  ancient 
foe. 

The  knell  of  thralldom  had  scarcely  sounded  on  the 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  33 

western  shores,  when  a  spirit  of  unrest  was  felt  abroad, 
and  when  the  goddess  of  freedom  was  decked  with  the 
crown  of  liberty  and  enthroned  in  the  national  hall,  a 
revolution  subverted  the  empire  of  Simeon,  which  threw 
all  Israel  into  the  throes  of  war.  Ozias,  a  mighty  spirit, 
had  swept  away  solid  phalanxes  at  Rothman,  Lattrice, 
Rama,  Eher,  overrun  the  empire  of  Zabulon,  filled  the 
vales  of  Sharon  with  consternation,  demolished  the  throne 
of  Prea,  humbled  the  kings  of  the  north,  and  threatened 
to  invade  Dan.  Simeon  sought  the  assistance  of  Toadia 
in  the  expedition,  but  the  latter  had  already  forgotten  the 
service  rendered  by  the  former  in  the  cause  of  its  inde 
pendence,  and  refused  to  participate  in  the  struggle.  A 
Danish  spirit  grew  up  in  the  nation  which  was  manifested 
in  the  policy  of  every  administration.  Favors  were  con 
stantly  shown  to  Dan,  and  contempt  was  expressed  for 
other  kingdoms  of  New  Israel. 

Dan,  by  her  foreign  acquisitions,  was  fast  becoming 
the  greatest  power  in  the  trans-arctic  world.  She  had 
colonial  possessions  in  the  east  and  west,  north  and  south. 
She  was  recognized  as  the  queen  of  the  ocean  and  mis 
tress  of  the  deep,  and  with  a  mighty  standing  army,  she 
banished  the  eagle  of  liberty  from  every  land  where  her 
flag  was  unfurled.  Her  purpose  was  to  swoop  down 
upon  poor,  defenseless  savages,  and  infant  nations,  and 
whenever  victory  crowned  the  emblem  of  her  dominions, 
she  massacred  the  natives  without  regard  to  age,  sex  or 
condition.  The  cry  of  the  mother,  the  wail  of  the  widow 
weeping  over  the  loss  of  her  children  in  the  fury  of  battle, 
the  piteous  pleading  of  orphans  asking  the  Danish 
myrmidons  to  spare  their  lives  and  their  homes,  every 
voice  of  supplication  was  answered  with  a  savage  reply 
in  the  roar  of  the  musket  and  the  glitter  of  steel.  Her 
pride  was  humbled  in  the  successful  insurrection  of  the 
Toadian  colonies,  and  she  long  contemplated  the  destruc 
tion  of  the  youthful  Republic. 

In  1810  she  proclaimed  her  complete  dominion  over 
the  Sea  of  Abraham,  and  forbade  the  Toadian  fleet  to 
cruise  in  its  waters.  This  brought  the  two  powers  into 
conflict  on  the  deep.  The  Danish  fleet,  rejoicing:  in  its 
marvelous  strength,  went  forth  in  quest  of  the  Toadian 


34  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

smacks,  as  they  were  sarcastically  denominated,  with  the 
vain  boast  that  the  flag  of  this  presumptuous  nation  would 
be  torn  in  shreds,  and  the  bodies  of  her  marines  would 
feed  the  denizens  of  the  briny  flood.  The  navies  met, 
and  the  little  fishing  smacks  sent  broadsides  into  the  iron 
clad  battle  ships,  swept  away  their  masts,  sails  and  rig 
gings,  pierced  their  mailed  hulls  and  soon  they  suc 
cumbed  to  the  dash  of  the  billows,  and  were  sunk  beneath 
the  sea. 

In  1815  a  wave  of  revolution  swept  over  Central  and 
Southern  Toadia.  These  countries,  long  ruled  by  the 
monarchs  of  New  Israel,  inspired  by  the  example  of 
North  Toadia,  asserted  their  independence,  which  was 
recognized  by  the  administration  in  Lidda.  The  next 
year  the  President,  Jechonias,  delivered  a  message  in 
which  he  proclaimed  that  the  Continent  of  Toadia  should 
not,  in  the  future,  be  considered  as  territory  for  coloniza 
tion  by  any  Israelitic  power,  and  this  proclamation  be 
came  celebrated  as  the  Jechonias  doctrine. 

The  institution  of  slavery  had  existed  in  Toadia  from 
the  earliest  period  of  its  existence.  Men  of  an  inferior 
race,  known  as  Cushites,  from  the  islands  of  the  Chaldean 
Sea  on  the  south  of  New  Israel,  had  been  imported  and 
condemned  to  bondage.  Although  the  lives  of  the  slaves 
were  protected  by  law,  yet  the  master  could  exact  obedi 
ence  and  submission  by  the  application  of  the  lash,  and 
perhaps  there  were  not  a  few  cases  of  cruelty.  But  the 
spirit  of  freedom,  which  characterized  the  pioneers  of 
the  land,  which  animated  the  authors  of  the  Declaration 
of  Independence,  and  was  voiced  in  the  formation  and 
adoption  of  the  Federal  Constitution,  which  recognized 
the  equality  of  all  men ;  the  spirit  of  freedom,  which  had 
erected  an  empire  in  the  wilderness,  and  consecrated  it 
with  the  blood  of  heroes,  could  not  tolerate  this  distinc 
tion  between  master  and  slave.  The  thrall  had  been  im 
ported  chiefly  by  the  Southern  States  of  the  Republic,  and 
they  seemed  to  flourish  in  that  climate.  Statesmen  began 
to  agitate  the  question  of  thralldom,  and  they  were  di 
vided  in  their  views  according  to  their  sections.  In  the 
course  of  time,  there  was  engendered  a  strong  sectional 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  35 

sentiment,  and  there  were  frequent  allusions  to  secession 
and  rebellion  on  the  part  of  the  South. 

In  1826  the  clouds  of  war  gathered  in  the  Southern 
skies,  and  the  roll  of  thunder  awakened  the  nation  to  a 
sense  of  imminent  peril.  The  Republic  was  dismembered  ; 
a  confederacy  was  formed  beyond  the  Mathan  River,  with 
its  capital  at  Meron ;  the  bugle  call  was  sounded,  and 
the  gallant  hosts  of  the  Sunny  South,  clad  in  bright  gray 
uniforms,  armed  with  lance  and  spear  and  battle-ax, 
marched  forth  to  the  music  of  martial  strains.  Dan  was 
not  slow  to  see  her  opportunity.  She  furnished  the 
swords  for  the  soldiers  of  the  Confederacy,  sent  ships  to 
their  assistance,  decoyed,  by  floating  the  flag  of  a  sup 
posed  friendly  nation,  and  attacked  and  sunk  vessels  of 
the  Federal  Government,  and  then  pusillanimously  de 
nied  her  responsibility.  The  war  was  brought  to  a  suc 
cessful  termination  after  three  years  of  carnage ;  the  flag 
of  the  Confederacy  was  hauled  down  from  the  walls  of 
Meron,  and  the  national  emblem  floated  over  the  ruined 
cities  of  the  South.  The  Union  was  preserved  and 
strengthened,  the  slaves  were  disenthralled  and  enfran 
chised,  and  the  Republic  of  United  Toadia  wandered  on 
the  peaceful  path  of  glory,  rejoicing  in  the  strength  of 
the  lion  and  the  flight  of  the  eagle,  the  emblem  of  her 
greatness.  The  Danish  tiger  was  again  disappointed, 
for  he  had  hoped  to  see  the  dismemberment  of  the  govern 
ment,  the  fall  of  the  Republic,  and  the  conquest  of  the 
rival  nations  by  the  mailed  legions  of  his  realm. 

The  Toadian  nation  became  more  cosmopolitan  as  the 
years  rolled  by.  A  strong  influx  of  immigration  from 
all  the  countries  of  the  trans-arctic  world,  gave  the  com 
plexion  of  the  population  all  the  hues  that  were  present 
in  Jerusalem  on  the  first  Christian  penticost.  There  were 
people  from  Simeon  and  Reuben  and  Ephraim  and  Za- 
bolon  and  Manasseh  and  Nephthali  and  Cuchites  from 
the  Chaldean  Islands,  and  Scythians,  and  the  Irish 
refugees  who  came  over  the  Black  Ocean  on  the  Rochelle. 
The  sons  of  Erin  adopted  the  customs  of  the  country,  and 
intermarried  with  the  natives,  and  in  the  course  of  a  few 
decades,  there  were  thousands  of  that  race  in  the  Republic 
of  Toadia.  The  characteristics  of  the  Irish  exiles  had 


36  BEYONK  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

been  partially  lost,  though  their  traditions  were  still 
sacred.  They  were  intensely  resolute  in  their  opposition 
to  foreign  domination,  and  would  sacrifice  the  last  drop 
of  their  blood  in  defense  of  home  rule. 

Intermarriage  with  those  of  Israelitic  origin  had  re 
sulted  in  a  slight  modification  of  the  Celtic  names.  It  is 
not  unusual  to  meet  with  Isaac  O'Flaherty,  Abraham 
O'Reilly,  Benjamin  Fitzpatrick,  Moses  McGillicuddy, 
Aaron  McGinty,  Ebenezer  O'Mulligan,  Patrick  Einstein, 
Teddy  Rosenheimer,  Maurice  Lovenhart,  Larry  Jonas, 
Bat  Semisheimer,  Biddy  Nyburgher.  The  descendants  of 
the  Irish  are,  like  their  ancestors,  fond  of  politics,  and 
they  hold  many  important  positions  of  trust.  There  are 
among  them,  Congressmen,  Senators,  judges,  ambassa 
dors,  cabinet  officers,  diplomatists,  generals,  admirals,  and 
some  are  employed  on  the  police  force.  Many  customs 
of  English-speaking  nations  had  been  introduced  by  the 
Irish,  and  adopted  by  the  natives.  The  monetary  systems 
of  different  southern  countries  had  been  considered,  the 
French  frank,  the  Italian  lire,  the  German  mark,  the 
English  pound  and  shillings;  but  the  trans-arctic  natives 
were  better  pleased  with  the  simplicity  of  the  American 
system,  and,  at  an  international  convention,  this  system 
was  universally  adopted,  and  our  dollars  have  supplanted 
the  Israelitic  pecuniary  denominations. 

Our  trans-arctic  acquaintances  are  in  every  respect 
similar  to  the  people  on  this  part  of  the  earth.  The  same 
passions  and  prejudices  actuate  them.  The  same  ambi 
tions,  love  of  wealth,  glory,  renown,  characterize  their 
history.  They  differ,  as  we  have  already  stated,  in  their 
religious  convictions,  and  persecutions  have  been  inflicted 
in  the  cause  of  truth  and  for  the  glory  of  the  Creator.  The 
old  synagogue  has  lost  its  prestige  in  many  countries,  and 
reformations  have  swept  it  out  of  others.  Reuben,  Simeon, 
Asher  and  Ephraim,  still  profess  the  Hebrew  creed.  Dan, 
Zabulon  and  other  countries  have  lost  faith  in  the  prom 
ises  of  Abraham,  and  have  adopted  the  new  religion, 
which  they  call  the  Gentile  Church,  in  contradistinction 
to  the  Israelites.  The  Gentile  Church  has  changed  ma 
terially  since  its  formation,  and  many  sects  have  arisen 
within  the  past  four  centuries.  The  republics  of  South 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  37 

and  Central  Toadia  still  adhere  to  the  Hebrew  traditions, 
but  Gentilism  is  the  dominant  creed  in  the  north. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

Isaac  Gilhooley  was  a  descendant  of  Patrick  Gilhooley, 
who  had  crossed  the  Black  Ocean  in  the  Rochelle.  His 
grandfather  had  fought  with  distinction  in'  the  war  which 
had  achieved  the  independence  of  Toadia,  and  again  sig 
nalized  himself  in  the  clash  brought  about  by  the  preten 
sions  of  Dan  to  the  individual  ownership  of  the  Sea  of 
Abraham.  His  wather  was  an  officer  in  the  Confederate 
army  in  the  rebellion  of  1826.  The  Irish  fighting  blood 
rolled  in  the  veins  of  Isaac  Gilhooley,  and  his1  belligerent 
propensities  were  not  altered  by  two  generations  of  re 
frigeration  in  the  trans-arctic  world,  nor  by  the  amalga 
mation  of  his  stock  with  the  phlegmatic  scions  of  Israel. 
His  mother  was  the  only  daughter  of  a  wealthy  banker, 
Jerry  Rosenthal,  who  resided  in  Engeddi,  the  most  cul 
tured  city  in  the  western  world.  Louise  Rosenthal  was 
the  belle  of  her  native  State,  and  her  name  was  an  open 
sesame  to  every  levee  in  the  land.  Her  education  received 
the  most  considerate  attention.  She  went  to  the  best 
schools  of  Toadia,  and  was  afterwards  sent  abroad  to  min 
gle  with  the  leading  society  in  the  most  polished  cities  of 
the  New  Israel  empires,  and  to  study  art  and  music  in  the 
capital  of  Simeon. 

On  the  ship  she  met  Moses  Gilhooley,  the  father  of 
our  hero.  Mutual  admiration  drew  them  often  together, 
and  the  acquaintance  ripened  into  affection  and  pledges 
of  love.  They  traveled  in  the  same  party  for  several 
months  through  the  old  world.  When  Louise  reached 
Rubek,  she  matriculated  in  the  conservatory  of  music, 
and  was  consigned  to  the  custody  of  a  noble  matron  who 
had  charge  of  the  ladies'  department.  Moses  represented 
a  large  firm  in  the  city,  and,  of  course,  he  had  frequent 
opportunities  of  visiting  hisi  fair  dulcinea.  Two  years 


38  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

passed  most  happily  for  the  enamored  youths  dwelling 
alone  in  the  realms  of  love,  dreaming  dreams  of  glory, 
building  crystal  palaces  and  enshrining  their  affection  on< 
golden  thrones. 

It  was  now  thxe  end  of  the  term  and  Jerry  Rosenthal 
sent  his  daughter  a  purse  to  procure  her  graduating  ap 
parel.  It  was  the  month  of  July,  1833.  Rubek,  the  gayest 
city  in  the  world,  the  city  of  lovely  parks  and  boulevards, 
of  limpid  fountains  and  stately  palaces,  was  clad  in  gala 
robes.  It  was  the  anniversary  of  the  birth  of  Ozias,  the 
founder  of  the  Simeon  republic.  The  city  was  filled  with 
Toadian  guests,  who  sympathized  with  their  sister  Re 
public,  and  venerated  the  name  of  the  hero  who  had  de 
molished  thrones  and  obliterated  empires.  The  Conser 
vatory  of  Music  decided  to  have  the  exhibition  exercises 
the  evening  preceding  the  anniversary,  and  Jerry  Rosen- 
thai  was  to  be  present  and  see  the  triumph  of  his  daughter. 

The  train  reached  Rubek  at  about  six  o'clock  in  the 
evening.  Mr.  Rosenthal  went  to  a  hotel  for  supper,  and 
immediately  afterwards  proceeded  to  the  Academy  of 
Music.  An  immense -audience  thronged  the  hall.  .  Par 
ents  proud  to  hear  their  children  perform  in  the  presence 
of  such  a  distinguished  assemblage ;  brothers'  anxious  to 
witness  the  public  applause  rendered  to  their  sisters ;  gay 
young  beaux  holding  beautiful  bouquets  for  their  af 
fianced  ;  all  swelled  the  great  auditorium,  and  were  wait 
ing  for  the  curtain  to  rise  to  behold  the  triumphs  of  their 
darlings  and  give  vent  to  expressions  of  approval.  Mr. 
Rosenthal  looked  for  his  daughter,  who  presently  ap 
peared,  and  was  accorded  repeated  encores  for  her  ex 
quisite  renditions.  The  evening  was  one  prolonged  con 
quest  for  the  maid  of  Engeddi. 

When  the  exercises  closed,  the  honors  were  awarded 
by  the  director  of  the  academy,  who  said  in  his  introduc 
tory  remarks,  "We  have  this1  evening  been  regaled  by  the 
most  brilliant  exhibition  in  the  history  of  this  institution, 
and  we  are  proud  to  see  the  interest  manifested  by  this 
concourse  of  people,  who  not  only  represent  the  artistic 
genius  of  this  realm,  but  the  refinement  of  other  nations. 
Rubek  has  long  been  the  home  of  culture.  It  surpasses 
in  art  the  fabulous  traditions  that  have  been  transmitted 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  39 

through  the  dim  and  distant  centuries  by  antiquarians, 
poets  and  authors  of  romance,  respecting  the  glories  of 
Athens  when  she  was  the  shrine  of  the  Grecian  Muse. 
Whether  these  stories  be  true  or  false,  or  whether  there 
be  in  that  world  beyond  the  waves  of  the  Black  Ocean,  a 
land  of  buried  splendor  which  lives  only  in  the  song  of 
the  bard,  is  a  mystery  which  must  be  solved  by  the  scien 
tists  of  the  future. 

"Yet,  even  presuming  that  the  dreams  of  Homer  and 
Hesiod  are  realities,  they"  afford  no  themes  of  admiration 
to  the  nations  of  the  trans-arctic  world.  We  have  trod  all 
the  paths  of  fame,  fathomed  all  the  depths  of  lore,  scaled 
all  the  heights  of  glory,  opened  all  the  treasures  of  art, 
mastered  all  the  mysteries  of  science.  We  have  reached 
the  goal  of  civilization,  and  the  children  of  unborn  gen 
erations  will  enshrine  the  memory  of  this  age  in  the  tem 
ple  of  song.  Arion  has  wandered  from  Lesbos,  and  built 
his  throne  in  the  heart  of  Rubek.  Our  fountains  have 
been  consecrated  by  the  touch  of  Apollo's  magic  breath, 
and  Calliope  has  encircled  our  brow  with  Bernice's  golden- 
locks. 

"We  are  glad  that  our  sister  Republic  beyond  the 
waters  sends  her  daughters  to  the  Parnassus  of  Simeon, 
to  drink  the  hallowed  stream  of  inspiration,  and  we  re 
joice  that  a  child  of  far-famed  Engeddi  has  won  the  medal 
of  honor  in  the  graduating  exercises  of  this  evening.  We 
present  her  to-night,  crowned  with  the  halo  of  victory, 
clad  in  nuptial  wreath  and  bridal  robes.  To-day  she  was 
led  by  a  young  Toadian  to  the  altar  of  Hymen,  where  their 
love  was  consecrated  by  the  benediction  of  the  Church. 
We  have  the  supreme  pleasure  of  inviting  you  to  extend 
your  congratulations  to  her  gallant  young  husband,  who 
distinguished  himself  as  an  officer  in  the  Southern  Con 
federacy,  and  we  ask  you  to  rejoice  with  the  daughter  of 
Mr.  Rosenthal,  who  is  now  Mrs.  Gilhooley." 

Mr.  Rosenthal  was  astonished,  nay,  appalled',  to  hear 
the  awful  tidings  of  a  marriage  between  his  beloved 
daughter,  and  the  descendant  of  an  Irish  refugee.  He 
sprang  to  his  feet  and  vociferated  that  it  was  false. 

"You  calumniate  my  child !  She  is  not  married.  It  is 
impossible.  She  would  not  dare  contract  matrimonial  af- 


40  BEYOND  THE   BLACK  OCEAN 

finity  with  any  one  without  my  knowledge  and  approval." 

Louise  fainted,  and  was  carried  off  the  stage,  but  soon 
recovered,  then  swooned  again,  and  again  revived.  The 
father  rushed  behind  the  scenes  and  folded  his  darling  in 
his  arms. 

"O  Louise  !  Louise  !  have  you  betrayed  my  confidence, 
and  tarnished  my  name  and  the  honor  of  your  family,  by 
giving  your  hand  and  heart  to  a  plebeian  ?  Do  you  not 
know  that  the  blood  of  kings  flows  in  your  veins  ?  You 
can  trace  your  ancestry  back  to  the  reign  of  Jeroboam, 
and  have  you  stained  that  noble  lineage  by  condescending 
to  be  the  wife  of  a  proletary?  I  know,"  the  father  raved 
incoherently,  "I  know  the  young  man  who  has  robbed  me 
of  my  child.  He  is  a  Confederate  officer,  and  has  no  more 
idea  of  honor  than  his  low-bred  sire  who  unsheathed  the 
sword  in  defense  of  another  rebellion." 

"Yes,"  cried  Gilhooley,  "your  daughter  has  pro 
nounced  the  vows  of  everlasting  fidelity  to  me,  and  I  have 
taken  her  under  the  protection  of  my  name,  a  name  that  is 
clothed  with  venerable  antiquity.  My  maternal  ancestors 
sat  on  the  throne  of  Iberia  long  before  the  lamentations 
of  the  rebellious  tribes  echoed  through  the  vales  af  As 
syria,  long  before  the  renegade  King  of  Israel  erected 
idols  in  Bethel  and  Dan ;  long  before  the  temple  of  Solo 
mon  became  the  pride  of  Judea ;  long  before  the  children 
of  Abraham  journeyed  to  the  City  of  David  to  lay  their 
vows  before  the  altar  of  God  and  offer  incense,  sacrifice 
and  prayer  through  the  meditation  of  the  Aaronitic  piest- 
hood.  My  sires  were  the  Ardrighs  of  Scotia  and  reigned  in 
Tara's  hall.  My  forefathers  fought  the  Dane  and  the  Nor 
man,  and  never  fled  from  their  land  to  shun  the  dangers  of 
war  and  the  privations  of  captivity,  like  the  dastardly  Is 
raelites.  I  married  Louise  because  I  love  her  better  than 
my  life  and  soul,  but  I  regret  that  she  is  the  daughter  of 
a  varlet,  with  exalted  pretensions." 

"Begone  from  my  presence !"  cried  Rosenthal  to 
Louise.  "To-day  I  disinherit  you.  To-day  you  relin 
quish  your  patrician  rank,  and  sink  to  the  level  of  the 
common  herd.  To-day  you  are  banished  from  my  home 
and  family,  and  henceforth,  I  shall  obliterate  your  name 
and  bury  your  memory.  If  your  proud,  noble  mother 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  4 I 

could  arise  from  the  chamber  of  death,  and  see  her  de 
graded  child,  she  would  sink  back  palsied  at  the  sight. 
Your  brother  shall  become  sole  heir  of  my  wealth.  Be 
gone,  child  of  perdition,  daughter  of  infamy,  and  seek  con 
solation  in  the  embraces  of  this  vile  cad  !" 

Rosenthal  immediately  departed  from  the  scene,  re 
turned  to  the  hotel,  and  made  preparations  to  leave  for 
Toadia.  Louise  was  prostrated  with  grief.  She  was  in 
sanely  fond  of  Moses,  and  knowing  that  her  father  would 
never  sanction  her  marriage  with  a  Confederate  soldier 
whom  he  hated,  she  contracted  clandestinely  with  the  hope 
that  he  would  condone  her  transgression  in  the  triumph 
of  her  genius,  grace  and  beauty  at  the  Academy  of  Music. 
But  she  had  not  correctly  estimated  the  haughty  disposi 
tion  of  Jerry  Rosenthal,  who  had  intended  his  daughter  to 
adorn,  with  her  accomplishments,  the  castle  of  a  baron. 
Moses  Gilhooley  was  more  to  her,  however,  than  home 
and  a  father's  love,  and  she  endured,  with  patience  and 
fortitude,  the  curse  of  her  sire.  The  young  couple  lived 
in  Rubek  for  two  years,  enjoying  every  comfort  and  plea 
sure  their  means  and  the  society  of  refined  associates 
could  afford. 

In  October,  1834,  the  birth  of  a  child  crowned  their 
nuptial  bliss.  In  honor  of  her  maternal  grandfather, 
Louise  called  her  son  Isaac.  Little  did  she  dream  when 
she  first  smiled  on  the  face  of  her  infant  that  his  life  would 
be  a  contradiction.  Early  the  next  spring  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Gilhooley  left  Simeon  for  their  native  country,  where 
Moses  was  to  occupy  the  first  position  in  the  electric  light 
company,  which  he  had  represented  for  the  past  four 
years  in  the  old  world  with  distinguished  ability,  enhanc 
ing,  thereby,  three-fold  the  trade  and  profits  of  the  firm. 

On  the  2 ist  of  April  the  train-  for  the  seashore  steamed 
out  of  the  Oriental  depot  at  the  south  side  of  Rubek,  and 
the  son  of  the  Irish  hero  of  the  revolution  smiled  in  the 
face  of  his  darling  wife,  who  held  their  cooing  babe  in  her 
arms.  The  morning  was  serene,  not  a  cloud  floated  on  the 
purple  sheen  of  heaven.  The  fields  wore  the  verdant  garb 
of  youthful  Spring.  Nature  pulsated  with  new-born  life. 
The  snow-clad  vales  and  storm-swept  hills  of  the  brumal 


42  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

season  had  passed  away,  and  the  earth  smiled  with  ra 
diant  hues. 

"Nature,"  said  Louise,  "reminds  us  of  our  fortunes 
in  life's  toilsome  path.  The  fragile  lilies  fall  beneath  the 
blighting  breath  of  the  hoar-frost  and  the  ruthless  march 
of  the  north-wind.  They  sleep  the  sleep  of  silence,  and 
nature  mourns  their  loss;  but  in  the  sweet  zephyrs  of  the 
south  sea,  they  inhale  new  life  and  arise  to  gladden  this 
world  with  their  innocent  smiles.  So  it  is  with  man. 
Clouds  gather  on  our  horizon,  and  roll  across  the  azure 
depths  of  heaven,  till  no  rays  of  sunshine  tinge  the  tree- 
tops,  and  dance  on  the  rippling  streams  and  move  along 
the  babbling  brooks.  The  storm  bursts  forth  with  the 
fury  of  demons.  The  elements  blaze  with  the  flames  of 
fire,  and  the  artillery  of  the  heavens  proclaim  the  ven 
geance  of  the  gods.  The  gale  sweeps  on  with  its  vapory 
columns  charged  with  bolts  of  death,  the  shadows  vanish 
in  the  sky,  and  the  king  of  light  and  glory  drives  his 
golden  car  across  the  purple  vault. 

"Phoebus  paints  the  orient  with  crimson  hues,  wheels 
along  through  aerial  zones,  smiles  on  mountain-tops  and 
green-robed  vales,  and  sends  his  shafts  of  golden  light  o'er 
waving  meads  and  fields  of  yellow  grain.  The  faint  light 
of  infant  morn  culminates  in  the  splendors  of  noontide 
glory,  and  the  rays  of  the  westerning  sun  and  the  fiery 
flood  of  waning  day,  sink  into  the  twilight  shadows,  and 
are  soon  lost  behind  the  sable  curtains  of  night.  But  the 
auroral  blush  of  maiden  day  sweeps  along  the  realms  of 
shadows,  and  the  sleeping  world  awakes  to  the  realities 
of  life.  The  history  of  the  human  race  is  made  up  of  sun 
shine  and  shadow,  and  a  throb  of  joy  crowns  every  pang  of 
grief. 

"When  my  father  renounced  me  in  the  presence  of  that 
cultured  assembly,  because  I  dared  to  give  my  heart  to 
the  one  whom  I  loved  so  dearly,  I  felt,  for  the  first  time, 
the  sword  of  sorrow  piercing  my  young  bosom.  But 
through  the  shadows  there  was  a  rift,  and  hope  lay  be 
yond  the  golden-tinged  clouds.  Our  love  has  been  blessed 
with  every  joy.  The  little  arms  of  Isaac  entwine  around 
our  necks,  and  his  prattle  and  smiles  banish  every  gloom 
and  fill  our  souls  with  every  bliss.  You  have  been  success- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  43 

ful  in  your  business,  and  when  we  return  to  our  land,  and 
look  upon  the  glittering  stars,  can  we  not  say  that  the 
patriarchs  and  prophets  of  Israel,  enthroned  amidst  the 
purple  light,  have  guided  our  footsteps  across  the  troubled 
waves,  as  of  old  Jehovah  led  the  chosen  hosts  through 
flood  and  over  desert  wastes  to  the  fertile  plains  and  vine- 
clad  hills  of  Canaan?" 

They  reached  the  city  of  Ser  on  the  western  coast  of 
Simeon,  and  took  passage  on  the  ship  Damascus,  bound 
for  Deboreh,  the  metropolis  of  the  New  World.  The 
gangway  was  removed,  the  cables  unfastened,  the  vessel 
weighed  anchor,  and  spread  her  sails,  and  a  thousand 
voices  cried  good-by,  and  a  thousand  handkerchiefs 
waved,  and  banners  floated,  and  sobs  were  loud,  and 
moaning  rent  the  air,  and  tears  flowed  down  the  furrowed 
faces  of  the  old  and  the  dimpled  cheeks  of  youth,  as  the 
mighty  steamer  cleft  the  surge  and  glided  down  the  bay. 

"Ah!"  said  Louise,  "does  this  not  remind  you  of  the 
Judgment  Day,  when  fathers  shall  be  separated  from  their 
children,  husbands  from  their  wives,  sisters  from  their 
brothers?" 

"Yes,"  said  Moses.  "But  that  day  shall  be  ushered  in 
by  the  demolition  of  nature's  laws.  The  earth  shall  heave 
with  convulsive  sighs,  the  deep  shall  boil  and  rage,  and 
the  waves  shall  mingle  with  the  clouds.  The  sun  shall  be 
darkened  and  the  moon  shall  not  give  her  light,  and  the 
stars  shall  fall  from  the  heavens  and  the  powers  of  the 
heavens  shall  be  moved.  Whereas  now  these  relations 
and  friends  part  with  the  choicest  blessings  of  nature  to 
alleviate  the  desolation  of  their  hearts,  and  in  many  cases 
with  hope  of  meeting  again  before  they  reach  the  end  of 
life's  toilsome  journey;  and,  I  presume,  they  all  expect  to 
be  re-united  when  they  cross  the  gulf  of  death,  and  stand 
before  the  jasper  throne,  where  the  God  of  our  fathers 
crowns  His  children  with  the  diadem  of  immortality." 

"Yes,  Moses,  I  thoroughly  understand  the  difference; 
but  are  you  not  quoting  from  the  Christian  Bible  when 
you  speak  of  the  vanishing  of  the  moon  and  the  falling  of 
the  stars?" 

"These  signs  are  substantially  expressed  in  your 
books.  Isaias  refers  to  thunders,  earthquakes,  flames, 


44  BEYOND  THE  BLACK   OCEAN 

whirlwinds  and  tempests;  and  Amos  calls  it  a  day  of 
wrath,  tribulation  and  distress;  a  day  of  calamity  and 
misery;  a  day  of  darkness  and  obscurity.  And  these 
prophecies  are  contained  in  your  version  and  occupy  a 
high  place  among  your  canonical  works.  Joel  confirms 
these  vaticinations,  and  while  it  is  supposed  that  he  wrote 
after  the  departure  of  your  ancestors  from  Babylonian 
captivity,  or,  if  at  an  earlier  period,  his  book  has  not  been 
incorporated  in  your  canon,  yet  he  was  a  prophet  of  Judea, 
and  is  worthy  of  credulity.  Israel  and  Judea  were  equally 
the  chosen  people  of  God,  and  the  voice  of  inspiration  di 
rected  the  councils  of  the  Abrahamic  race,  whether  offer 
ing  sacrifice  in  the  temple  of  Solomon,  or  burning  incense 
on  the  altar  of  Bethel.  The  Christians  who  accepted  the 
teachings  of  the  Nazarene,  collected  the  books  of  Israel 
and  Judea  into  the  ancient  Testament,  .which  they  hold, 
contains  the  promises  that  were  to  "be  realized  in  the  birth 
of  the  Messiah,  the  Redeemer,  not  only  of  your  race,  but 
the  Gentile  nations.  The  disciples  of  the  new  religion 
wrote  a  history  of  the  life  and  teachings  of  their  Founder, 
under  the  name  of  the  Gospels  and  Epistles  of  the  New 
Testament,  and  these  works  were  brought  hither  by  the 
little  band  of  Irish  refugees  in  1799.  I  learned  the  doctrine 
of  Christ  from  the  lips  of  my  father,  and  I  look  upon  the 
birth  of  Bethlehem's  Babe  as  the  realization  of  Israel's 
dreams;  and  hence  it  is  not  strange  that  I  should  value  the 
New  Testament  as  highly  as  the  Old.  In  fact,  the  former 
is  the  substance,  the  latter  the  figure.  The  promises  were 
made  to  Abraham,  and  they  were  fulfilled  in  Christ.  The 
Gentiles  have  inherited  the  land  of  your  ancestors,  and 
the  visions  of  the  desert  and  the  dreams  of  the  ancient 
seers,  have  glorified  the  world  in  the  promulgation  of  a 
new  law,  and  the  nations  of  the  earth  have  been  redeemed 
in  the  blood  of  the  Savior  typified  in  the  paschal  lamb.  In 
speaking  of  the  Israelites,  I  use  the  pronoun  in  the  second 
person,  since  my  paternal  ancestors  belonged  to  the  Gen 
tile  race  and  I  am  half  Christian." 

Louise  admired  the  tenets  of  Christianity,  because  they 
were  permeated  by  the  spirit  of  love,  but  she  could  not 
reconcile  the  prophetic  utterances  of  the  Old  Testament, 
dilating  on  the  national  exaltation  of  Israel  into  a  world- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACE  OCEAN  45 

wide  power,  with  the  total  demolition  of  the  lines  of  de- 
markation  between  the  chosen  people  and  the  Gentile 
race,  and  the  complete  absorption  of  the  latter  by  the 
former,  so  as  to  form  but  one  united,  universal  empire  of 
spirituality. 

Four  days  had  passed  since  they  embarked,  and  there 
was  not  a  single  incident  to  mar  the  pleasure  of  the  home 
ward  voyage.  Often  they  sat  and  watched  the  foaming 
billows  as  they  swelled  and  broke  on  the  liquid  expanse, 
and  the  whales  sporting  in  the  distance,  and  the  porpoises 
floating  on  the  crested  waves,  and  phosphoric  scintilla 
tions  sparkling  in  the  nocturnal  gloom  that  brooded  over 
the  deep.  They  frequently  recalled  their  first  meeting  on 
the  water  a  few  years  before,  when  they  were  gazing  at  a 
passing  ship. 

"Doyou  remember,"  said  Louise,  "that  beautiful  after 
noon  as  I  was  leaning  against  the  railing  of  the  deck,  and 
you  smiled  so  blandly  and  offered  me  the  use  of  your 
glass?" 

"Yes,"  returned  Moses,  tenderly,  "but  we  never 
dreamed  at  that  moment  that  our  lives  would  be  so  in 
separably  interlinked  in  the  near  future.  I  did  not  think, 
then,  that  I  would  ever  see  you  after  we  disembarked." 

The  moon  had  risen,  and  her  soft  beams  fell  directly 
on  the  path  which  the  keel  of  the  ship  had  cut  through  the 
waters.  Standing  on  the  aft  deck,  they  gazed  on  the  broad 
track  which  glittered  and  sparkled  like  a  street  of  sapphire. 
At  a  late  hour  they  retired,  and  in  a  few  minutes  were  lost 
in  slumber,  and  wandered  in  sweet  dreams  through  the 
golden  palace  of  bliss  which  their  youthful  fancies  had 
built  of  future  years.  A  heavy  fog  had  settled  over  the 
sea.  The  fog  horn  blew,  and  many  woke  at  the  first  sound, 
but  being  reassured  that  there  was  no  danger,  fell  again 
into  refreshing  sleep.  The  hours  passed  away  and  the 
unconscious  dreamers  were  as  silent  as  the  inmates  of  the 
tomb.  Crash!  Crash!  Crash!  Screams  echoed  from 
every  cabin.  Shrieks  and  wails  were  heard. 

"We  are  lostl"  cried  a  hundred  voices.  "The  ship  is 
sinking!  There  has  been  a  collision.  Our  vessel  is  riven. 
She  is  struck  amidship  by  the  'bow  of  another  steamer. 


46  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

Lower  the  life-boats!  Get  the  passengers  on  deck.  Fly 
and  give  the  alarm!" 

In  less  than  five  minutes  every  living  person  was  on 
deck,  but  many  had  been  crushed  by  the  concussion,  for 
the  vessel  had  been  cut  in  twain.  Louise  awoke  with 
alarm,  and  noticed  her  husband  carrying  her  and  her 
sweet  babe  in  sheets  to  the  upper  deck.  A  terrible  strug 
gle  ensued.  Men  and  women  were  fighting  to  get  into 
the  life-boats.  Weapons  were  savagely  used,  pistols  were 
fired,  sailors,  forgetting  their  duty  in  the  hour  of  peril, 
sought  to  save  their  own  lives,  and  brained  those  who 
stood  in  the  way.  Moses  pushed  forward  with  his  charge. 
The  throng  surged  and  swayed.  Here  one  trying  to  get 
into  the  boat  fell  into  the  water;  here  another  was  pushed 
overboard;  a  third  one  was  struck  with  a  hatchet,  a  fourth 
stabbed.  Louise  and  Isaac  were  safely  placed  in  the  boat, 
but  exhausted  by  his  superhuman  effort,  Moses  fell  back 
into  the  waves,  and,  in  the  darkness  of  night,  was  seen  no 
more. 

The  gray  dawn  peered  through  the  clouds  of  the  ori 
ent.  The  morning  sun  rose  on  the  wreck.  A  few  floating 
planks,  a  few  chairs  here  and  there,  were  all  that  could  be 
seen.  The  steamer  had  sunk.  Some  had  saved  their  lives, 
but  many  slept  to  wake  no  more.  Louise  looked  for  her 
husband.  He  could  not  be  seen,  and  she  supposed  that  he 
had  perished.  She  was  cold,  hungry  and  frantic  with 
grief.  A  young  widow,  with  an  infant  child,  banished 
from  the  home  of  her  parents,  what  would  she  do?  Oh, 
if  the  angry  waves  would  engulf  them,  that  she  and  her 
babe  might  join  the  lost  beyond  the  skies! 


CHAPTER  V. 

The  third  day  after  the  wreck,  Louise  and  her  com 
panions  descried  the  mast  of  a  vessel  sailing  toward  the 
west.  In  less  than  an  hour  the  steamer  had  reached  the 
few  life-boats  that  were  seen  floating  within  a  circum- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  47 

ference  of  many  miles,  but  others  had  drifted  far  away  and 
could  not  be  seen.  Louise  and  her  baby  were  now  safe, 
but  the  heart  of  the  mother  was  sad  and  lonely.  Would 
she  visit  the  home  of  her  childhood,  and  ask  her  father's 
pardon  ?  Would  he  condone  her  trangression,  and  recog 
nize  his  daughter  and  the  child  of  Moses  Gilhooley,  the 
Confederate  officer?  If  she  were  repulsed  by  her  stern 
sire,  she  resolved  to  seek  refuge  with  the  grandparents  of 
her  babe.  The  ship  reached  Deboreh,  and  thousands  of 
people  lined  the  water's  edge  to  greet  their  returning 
friends.  But  no  face  smiled  on  Louise,  for  none  knew 
her.  Her  coming  was  not  heralded,  and  even  if  the  in 
formation  had  been  imparted,  she  would  expect  to  see  no 
one  from  her  father's  roof,  for  her  name  was  forgotten 
there. 

She  went  from  the  dock  to  the  depot,  and  took  the 
first  train  to  Engeddi,  where  she  arrived  early  in  the 
afternoon.  She  engaged  a  carriage  and  immediately  pro 
ceeded  to  her  father's  home.  How  familiar  was  the  old 
place !  The  tall  pines  and  cedars  that  adorned  the  lawn 
waved  their  graceful  branches  as  if  in  welcome,  and 
seemed  to  speak  to  her  of  the  happy  days  of  youth,  when 
she  romped  with  her  brother  in  their  inviting  shades. 
Ascending  the  broad,  stone  steps,  she  rang  the  bell,  and 
waited  in  breathless  anxiety  for  the  response.  Soon  the 
door  was  opened,  and  a  servant  politely  inquired  whom 
she  wished  to  see.  How  strange  those  words  sounded  in 
her  ears !  She  did  not  know  this  servant,  for  many 
changes  had  taken  place  in  the  domestic  affairs  since  her 
departure  for  Simeon;  yet  to  be  treated  as  a  visitor  in 
the  house  where  she  had  once  reigned  as  a  queen,  was 
more  than  Louise  could  bear.  In  her  indignation,  she 
said: 

"I  wish  to  see  my  father." 

"Your  father?"  repeated  the  servant,  in  surprise,  for. 
as  she  had  come  from  a  small  town  in  the  State,  and  had 
been  but  a  week  in  the  employment  of  Mr.  Rosenthal, 
she  did  not  know  he  had  a  daughter. 

"Yes,  my  father,"  said  Louise.  "Go  and  tell  my 
father  that  Louise  is  here." 

The  domestic  left  the  widowed  mother  in  the  hall. 


48  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

and  announced  her  arrival  to  the  lord  of  the  mansion. 

"A  young  woman  downstairs  requested  me  to  say  to 
you  that  Louise  wishes  to  see  her  father." 

"Louise  wishes  to  see  her  father!  Is- it  possible  that 
she  returns  to  me,  after  what  she  has  done  to  tarnish  my 
name?"  and  Mr.  Rosenthal  hurried  downstairs  to  ascer 
tain  the  truth  of  the  servant's  announcement.  When  he 
beheld  the  form  of  his  visitant  in  the  corridor,  with  an 
infant  in  her  arms,  and  aproaching,  looked  into  the  care 
worn  face  of  his  only  daughter,  he  said : 

"Well,  madam,  what  can  I  do  for  you?"  And  before 
she  had  time  to  respond,  he  continued :  "If  you  are  seek 
ing  employment,  I  will  inform  you  that  I  have  as  many 
domestics  as  my  premises  require,  and  if  you  are  begging 
alms,  I  notify  you  to  present  yourself  to  the  charity  in 
stitutions  of  this  city."  And  turning,  he  walked  deliber 
ately  away. 

Louise  gave  vent  to  her  feelings  in  a  flood  of  tears, 
exclaiming,  with  heart-rending  sobs : 

"O,  father !  father !  how  can  you  ignore  the  presence 
of  your  child  ?"  And  seizing  his  arm,  she  cried :  "Father, 
I  ask  your  pardon.  Do  not  crush  me  with  your  hatred ! 
We  were  shipwrecked  seven  days  ago,  and  my  husband 
was  lost.  I  have  come  to  my  home,  the  home  of  my  child 
hood,  the  home  consecrated  by  a  mother's  love,  and  ask 
you,  father,  not  to  forget  the  days  of  my  infancy,  the 
years  of  my  youth,  when  I  was  your  pride  and  your  joy. 
If  I  have  sinned,  remember  my  innocence.  Remember 
my  mother.  Recall  how  she  loved  me,  how  you  and  she 
built  your  hopes  in  my  promising  life.  Father,  O,  father, 
pardon  my  only  offense,  my  only  act  of  disobedience ! 
Have  pity  on  your  widowed  daughter  and  her  fatherless 
child !" 

But  the  old  man  was  inexorable. 

"Ah,  madam,  you  betrayed  my  confidence  once ;  you 
gave  me  a  fatal  stab  in  the  presence  of  that  cultured  as 
semblage  in  the  hall  of  the  Music  Academy  in  Rubek.  I 
returned  home  with  a  sad  and  broken  heart.  Within  one 
week  after  my  arrival  I  was  overwhelmed  by  the  sudden 
death  of  Benjamin,  my  son  and  heir." 

"Benjamin  dead !"  exclaimed  Louise.     "O,  my  poor 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  49 

brother!  How  can  I  endure  the  sorrow  that  has  fallen 
upon  me!  My  husband  and  my  only  brother  dead,  and 
1  banished  from  the  home  of  my  father !" 

"Yes,  banished  forever!  Had  Benjamin  lived,  there 
might  have  been  some  distant  hope  for  you,  when  my  in 
fluence  over  him  had  perished  in  my  death.  Being  left 
alone  in  the  world  by  the  sad  fate  of  my  son,  I  wooed 
and  won  the  heart  of  a  lovely  maiden,  and  now  my  prop 
erty  shall  descend  into  another  line,  and  your  hopes  are 
forever  destroyed,"  and  saying  this  he  disengaged  him 
self  from  her  grasp,  opened  the  door  and  bade  her  good- 
day  in  cold,  formal,  haughty  tones. 

"  Louise  descended  the  steps  and  walked  slowly  to  the 
carriage.  As  it  was  passing  down  the  avenue,  she  heard 
a  familiar  voice,  and  looking  around,  she  saw  Aunt 
Martha,  the  old  nurse  who  had  rocked  her  cradle,  and  who 
had  been  an  attache  of  the  mansion  for  more  than  a  quar 
ter  of  a  century.  Aunt  Martha  threw  her  arms  around 
the  young  widow,  and  embraced  her  affectionately,  cry 
ing: 

"O,  Miss  Louise  !  I'm  so  glad  to  see  you  !  When  did 
you  return  ?  Why  are  you  leaving  so  soon  ?  Surely  you 
are  going  to  stay  with  us  ?" 

"No,"  said  Louise,  sadly ;  "I  am  disinherited  by  my 
father,  and  he  has  coldly,  cruelly  banished  me  from  the 
parental  hearthstone."  She  then  related  her  misfortunes, 
beginning  with  her  marriage,  which  was  known  to  Aunt 
Martha,  though  the  faithful  domestic  was  not  cognizant 
of  the  unpleasant  results  of  her  connubial  alliance.  The 
nuptials  had  been  announced  in  the  society  papers  of 
Engeddi ;  but  Mr.  Rosenthal  had  never  adverted  to  the 
marriage.  When  the  old  nurse  heard  of  the  shipwreck 
and  the  fate  of  Mr.  Gilhooley,  she  went  into  hysterics. 

"How  unfortunate !  Poor  Benjamin  also  perished  in 
the  water.  One  bright  afternoon  he  went  down  to  the 
beach  to  enjoy  the  surf,  and  venturing  too  far,  he  was 
carried  away  by  the  current  and  lost  his  life  struggling 
with  the  breakers.  When  he  was  brought  home,  Mr. 
Rosenthal  was  prostrated  with  grief,  and  his  friends 
thought  that  he  would  succumb  to  the  shock.  His  life 
was  in  danger  for  two  weeks,  and  then  he  began  to  re- 


$0  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

cover.  In  less  than  three  months  after,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Rosaline  Romeyer.  People  said  that  she  married 
him  for  his  wealth,  and  indeed  it  seems  that  they  were  not 
disappointed.  She  never  enjoyed  social  distinction  pre 
vious  to  her  marriage  with  your  father,  and  now  you 
would  imagine  that  she  was  the  scion  of  an  ancient  house. 
She  assumes  all  the  airs  of  the  noblesse,  and  her  arrogance 
is  almost  intolerable.  No  doubt  she  has  poisoned  your 
father  against  you,  for  she  wishes,  I  am  sure,  to  exclude 
you  from  your  inheritance.  But,  my  child,  do  not  lose 
courage.  Brighter  days  will  dawn  upon  your  life.  You 
have  a  host  of  friends  who  will  extend  their  good  wishes, 
and  welcome  you  to  their  homes.  Besides,  I  know  that 
your  father  will  relent  in  the  course  of  time,  and  enthrone 
you  again  in  his  affections." 

Louise  thanked  Martha  for  her  kind  words,  kissed  her 
good-by,  and  bade  the  coachman  to  drive  to  the  Union 
depot,  where  she  took  the  first  train  for  Meron,  the  home 
of  the  Gilhooleys.  It  was  early  the  next  afternoon  when 
she  reached  her  destination.  She  experienced  no  diffi 
culty  in  ascertaining  information  about  the  residence  of 
Mrs.  Patrick  Gilhooley,  the  aged  mother  of  the  gallant 
Confederate  officer,  who  had  won  immortal  glory  fighting 
for  the  rights  of  the  Southern  people.  The  sudden  ap 
pearance  of  Louise  was  a  surprise  to  her  mother-in-law, 
for  the  venerable  matron  had  read  of  the  disaster  on  the 
deep,  and  she  had  previously  learned  from  her  son  that 
he  would  sail  on  that  vessel.  The  papers  had  announced 
the  list  of  passengers,  all  of  whom,  it  stated  had  perished, 
except  a  few  that  had.  taken  refuge  in  the  life-boats.  Mrs. 
Gilligan  had  appeared,  by  mistake,  in  the  columns  of  the 
press,  among  the  names  of  those  who  had  been  rescued, 
and,  of  course,  Mrs.  Patrick  Gilhooley,  not  correcting  the 
error,  and  failing  to  identify  this  name  with  her  daughter- 
in-law,  concluded  that  the  trio  had  been  lost.  It  was  the 
first  time  that  the  young  widow  had  met  her  husband's 
mother,  and  the  latter  impressed  Louise  as  the  noblest 
of  women. 

"My  child,"  she  said  to  the  unfortunate  girl,  "this  is 
your  home.  Take  the  place  of  my  son,  and  comfort  my 
declining  years  with  your  bright  smiles  and  youthful 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  5! 

voice  and  cheerful  disposition.  We  will  live  together  as 
mother  and  daughter,  and  watch  with  joy  the  growth  and 
development  of  our  little  babe,  the  child  of  your  husband 
and  my  son.  In  this  little  cherub  our  hearts  will  center, 
and  our  affections  will  wax  warm  with  his  increasing 
years." 

Louise  accepted  the  hospitality  of  the  noble  matron, 
and  daughter  and  mother  mingled  their  tears  and  smiles 
in  their  sorrows  and  in  their  joys.  Isaac  gave  promise 
of  being  an  honor  to  the  family  and  no  labor  was  spared 
in  the  development  of  his  marvelous  genius.  At  an  early 
age,  he  was  sent  to  the  best  schools  in  Meron,  where  he 
distinguished  himself  by  his  mental  powers  and  his  close 
assiduity  to  his  studies.  When  fourteen  summers  had 
passed  over  his  head,  Isaac  was  matriculated  in  the  State 
University,  one  of  the  best  known  institutions  of  learning 
in  the  Republic  of  North  Toadia.  Within  its  hallowed 
walls  many  of  the  great  men  of  the  nation  had  been  edu 
cated,  and  going  forth  from  that  sacred  retreat,  they  be 
came  leaders  in  every  department  of  lore. 

Isaac  won  the  highest  honors  in  his  studies  every  year, 
and  the  professors  predicted  that  he  would  rank  with  the 
first  scholars  of  the  age.  At  eighteen  he  graduated  in 
the  scientific  course,  and  immediately  adopted  the  pro 
fession  of  law.  While  pursuing  his  legal  studies,  he  be 
came  intensely  absorbed  in  the  economic  questions  of  the 
day.  He  had  perused  the  histories  of  all  nations,  and*  was 
thoroughly  familiar  with  the  records  of  those  empires, 
whence  his  grandfather  had  migrated  a.  half  a  century 
previously.  The  works  of  Mr.  Flynn,  who  had  crossed 
the  Black  Ocean  in  the  Rochelle  in  1779,  had  been  repub- 
lished  in  the  various  tongues  of  the  trans-arctic  world, 
and  numerous  copies  were  found  in  every  city  of  the 
Toadian  Republic.  This  collection  embraced,  besides  the 
works  of  the  ancient  fathers  of  the  Christian  Church,  the 
works  of  the  best  historians  of  all  nations  and  all  ages. 

Isaac  Gilhooley  had  made  a  study  of  these  valuable 
books.  Often  he  had  wandered  in  fancy  through  those 
dim  and  distant  centuries,  and  repeopled  the  silent  ages 
with  the  grand  monuments  that  their  civilization  had 
left  to  perpetuate  their  memory.  He  became  familiar  with 


52  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

the  buried  empires  that  had  flourished  on  the  borders  of 
the  Nile,  the  Euphrates  and  by  the  waves  of  the  Persian 
Gulf.  In  dreams  he  would  visit  Palmyra  of  the  desert, 
and  meditate  with  Volney  upon  the  revolutions  and  ruins 
of  the  past.  He  flung  out  upon  the  desert  the  voice  of 
civilized  man,  touched  those  solitudes  with  the  magic 
wand,  and  saw  the  moss-covered  ruins  of  the  ages  leap 
forth  into  new  creations.  He  saw  again  the  thousand 
thriving  hamlets  and  villages,  populous  towns  and  mag 
nificent  cities,  adorned  with  regal  halls  and  stately  pal 
aces  and  majestic  temples.  He  visited  the  marts  and  em 
poriums  of  the  Orient  that  have  been  forgotten  in  the  roll 
of  ages.  He  studied  the  history  of  the  Grecian  Repub 
lics,  and  the  lives  of  the  great  men  who  made  the  Ionian 
isles  the  sweet  shrine  of  song.  He  read  the  origin  of  the 
vast  Roman  Empire,  and  watched  the  flight  of  its  eagles 
from  the  cedars  of  Libanus  to  the  rock-bound  coast  of 
Albion.  He  became  familiar  with  the  glory  of  Carthage 
and  the  conquest  of  her  heroes.  He  viewed  the  com 
mencement  of  the  Mohammedan  domination  on  the  arid 
plains  of  Arabia,  and  followed  the  legions  of  the  Prophet 
across  the  sandy  desert,  till  his  emblem  was  recognized 
throughout  western  Asia.  He  saw  the  dusky  warriors 
sweeping  over  northern  Africa  like  the  withering,  scorch 
ing  simoon,  leaving  naught  in  their  wake  but  smoking 
ruins  and'  bloody  streams.  He  followed  the  path  of  the 
Goth  over  the  rocks  of  the  Pyrenees,  the  summit  of  the 
Alps,  the  crags  of  the  Apennines ;  he  beheld,  in  visions, 
the  migration  of  the  Cimbri,  the  Teutons  and  the  Huns, 
the  Scythians,  the  Vandals  and  the  mighty  army  of  tur 
bulent  barbarians  that  rolled  down  from  the  frozen  shores 
of  the  Baltic  to  the  verdant  hills  laved  by  the  crested  bil 
lows  of  the  Mediterranean.  He  watched  the  foundation  of 
European  monarchies,  the  fall  of  the  throne  by  the  shores 
of  the  Tiber,  where  the  Caesars  had  been  crowned  the 
sovereigns  of  the  world.  He  saw  the  establishment  of 
the  Byzantine  Empire  on  the  shores  of  the  Bosphofus, 
and  heard  the  tramp  of  the  Arabian  war-steeds  amidst 
the  ruins  of  Grecian  liberty,  and  the  rise  of  the  Ottoman 
power  in  Europe  and  the  glimmer  of  the  Crescent  on  the 
waves  of  the  Hellespont. 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  53 

He,  also,  studied  the  history  of  the  trans-arctic  world, 
and  became  familiar  with  the  causes  that  enhanced  the 
wealth  and  glorified  the  nations  of  New  Israel,  and  he 
perceived  that  these  causes  were  everywhere  the  same. 
He  beheld  Dan,  on  the  borders  of  the  western  ocean,  lead 
ing  the  countries  of  the  North ;  Reuben  sending  forth  her 
legions  to  the  shores  of  the  New  World ;  Simeon  climbing 
the  snow-capped  summits  of  intelligence,  guiding  the  na 
tions  in  the  flight  of  genius ;  Zabulon,  Asher,  Nephthali, 
shedding  glory  on  the  triumphs  of  civilization.  He  no 
ticed  that  poverty  kept  apace  with  progress,  and  as  na 
tions  became  wealthy,  the  masses  were  oppressed.  He 
had  read  the  "Wealth  of  Nations,"  by  Adam  Smith,  and 
he  learned  from  this  standard  author  on  Political  Econ 
omy  that  "In  that  original  state  of  things,  which  precedes 
both  the  appropriation  of  land  and  the  accumulation  of 
stock,  the  whole  produce  of  labor  belongs  to  the  laborer. 
Had  this  state  continued,  the  wages  of  labor  would  have 
augmented  with  all  these  improvements  in  the  productive 
powers  to  which  the  division  of  labor  gives  rise.  All 
things  would  gradually  have  become  cheaper.  They 
would  have  been  produced  by  a  smaller  quantity  of  labor, 
and  as  commodities  produced  by  equal  quantities  of  labor, 
would  naturally,  in  that  state  of  things,  be  exchanged  for 
one  another,  they  would  have  been  produced  likewise 
with  the  produce  of  a  smaller  quantity." 

But  mankind  has  abandoned  the  simplicity  of  prim 
itive  life,  and  with  that  change  the  honesty  of  pristine  na 
tions  has  vanished.  Even  within  the  last  fifty  years,  he 
reasoned,  our  powers  of  production  have  been  multiplied 
twenty-fold,  and  by  a  natural  sequence,  the  necessaries 
of  life,  the  means  of  subsistence,  should  be  produced  with 
one-twentieth  the  labor,  or  the  same  amount  of  labor  now 
should  be  rewarded  with  twenty  times  the  amount  of 
comforts  that  our  forefathers  reaped  from  their  toil.  But 
the  contrary  is  true.  Our  hours  of  work  have  not  been 
reduced,  and  our  wages  have  diminished.  The  laborer  is 
not  as  comfortable  as  he  was  a  generation  ago,  and  his 
condition  compared  with  the  progress  of  the  nation,  with 
the  earnings  of  capital,  with  the  facilities  of  enjoyment, 


54  BEYOND  THE  BLACK   OCEAN 

with  the  conveniences  of  modern  life,  has  vastly  deter 
iorated. 

It  is  not  so  much,  after  all,  what  a  man  receives  as  the 
proportion  of  wealth  that  falls  to  his  share.  When  capital 
yields  but  a  moderate  profit,  the  toiler  is  satisfied  with  a 
meager  remuneration,  but  when  he  sees  the  money  of  his 
employer  doubled  in  two  years,  he  is  forcibly  reminded 
that  the  product  of  his  wealth  is  appropriated  by  the  cap 
italist  under  the  name  of  profit.  This  nation  was  never 
so  wealthy,  nay,  there  is  not  a  land  of  ancient  or  modern 
times  that  can  be  compared  with  ours.  We  have  all  the 
facilities  of  production. 

Machinery  has  been  applied  to  the  production  of 
every  commodity,  and  the  genius  of  invention  is  rapidly 
supplanting  the  necessity  of  manual  labor.  To-day  one 
man  can  spin  as  much  cotton  as  eleven  hundred  men1 
could  accomplish  a  century  ago.  One  weaver  cani  now 
supply  the  place  of  fifty  in  weaving.  In  making  horse 
shoes,  the  power  of  machinery  compared  with  hand 
labor  is  in  the  ratio  of  five  hundred  to  one.  In  the  pro 
duction  of  nails,  the  ratio  is  one  thousand  to  one.  In 
shipping,  one  man  can  perform  the  work  of  two  thousand 
men;  eighty-five  per  cent  of  hand  labor  has  been  dis 
placed  in  the  manufacture  of  watches.  In  1845  there  were 
three  millions  of  tons  of  coal  mined  by  machinery,  and  in 
1850  the  amount  had  increased  to  thirteen  millions,  and 
this  line  of  industry  one  man  can  accomplish  with  ma 
chinery  the  work  of  ten  men  without  machinery.  A  boy 
can  make  as  many  tin  cans  with  a  machine  as1  eighty-four 
men  with  hand  labor.  Ninety-six  per  cent,  of  employes 
have  lost  their  positions  in  the  manufacture  of  musical 
instruments.  There  were  employed,  in  the  year  1845, 
four  million,  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand,  nine  hun 
dred  and  eighty-three  men,  women  and  children  in  the 
three  hundred  and  fifty-five  thousand,  four  hundred  and 
ten  establishments  in  this  country,  and  they  produced 
eight  billion,  two  hundred  and  fifty  million  dollars  of 
wealth,  and  they  received  in  compensation  for  their  labor 
one  billion,  six  hundred  and  fifty  million  dollars,  or  twenty 
per  cent.  It  is  estimated  that  their  portion  of  the  natural 
production  has  fallen  to  seventeen  per  cent  within  the 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  55 

past  two  years.  Yet,  within  the  last  twenty-five  years, 
multi-millionaires  have  sprung  up  in  every  quarter  of  the 
Republic.  To-day  there  are  four  thousand  families  who 
own  twenty  billion  dollars  of  wealth,  and  twenty-five  thou 
sand  persons  own  more  than  half  of  our  national  wealth. 
And  is  it  not  strange  that  the  producers1  of  wealth  are  in 
a  worse  condition  than  they  were  twenty-five  years  ago  ? 

These  thoughts  occupied  the  mind  of  Isaac  Gilhooley 
day  and  night,  and,  prompted  by  a  sense  of  justice,  he  ex 
pressed  his  views  in  a  letter  to  the  press,  in  which  he  con<- 
demned  the  avarice  and  inhumanity  of  the  capitalists. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

On  the  I4th  of  November,  1854,  the  following  com 
munication  appeared  in  the  Weekly  Ledger,  published  in 
Meron,  a  very  large  paper  that  had  a  wide  circulation 
among  all  classes  of  readers  throughout  the  nation: 

"Editor  Ledger — For  some  time  I  have  been  making  a 
study  of  the  labor  problem,  and  I  decided  to  give  publicity 
to  my  views  through  the  columns  of  your  excellent  paper, 
with  the  hope  of  making  proselytes  to  the  standard  of 
truth.  The  object  of  civilization  is  to  give  men  greater 
facilities  of  education,  the  advantages  of  the  refinement 
of  social  life,  more  domestic  comforts,  to  elevate  their 
physical,  mental  and  moral  status.  If  civilization  does  not 
accomplish  these  purposes,  it  is  a  failure,  and  our  retro 
gression  to  barbarous  life  will  not  be  mourned  by  future 
ages.  But  has  the  progress  of  the  centuries  achieved  these 
ends?  Do  we,  in  the  glorious  triumphs  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  enjoy  more  advantages  than  our  fathers  who 
lived  the  simple  pastoral  life  in  the  distant  realms  of  the 
Arabian  desert,  or  in  the  fertile  plains  and  olive  groves 
and  rich  vineyards  of  Israel? 

It  is  true  that  the  prophets  did  not  realize  the  advan 
tages  of  steam  and  electricity.  The  railway  carriages  were 
not  seen  passing  over  the  mountains  of  Benjamin,  gliding 


56  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

along  awful  precipices,  bounding  through  tunnels,  cross 
ing  verdant  valleys,  spanning  deep  chasms.  They  had 
none  of  the  conveniences  that  enhance  the  comforts  of 
modern  life.  But  were  they  not  more  happy,  more  con 
tented,  having  better  food  and  clothes  than  the  millions 
of  poor  in  our  broad  and  glorious  country?  And  if  we 
follow  the  stream  of  time  down  through  the  long  ages, 
we  observe  that  as  nations  advance  in  civilization,  distinct 
classes  emerge  on  the  theater  of  national  life,  and  while 
wealth  flows  into  the  coffers  of  one,  poverty  invades  the 
home  of  the  other. 

The  line  of  demarkation  becomes  more  distinct  with 
every  improvement  in  the  productive  facilities  of  the  na 
tions.  The  genius  of  invention  was  intended  for  the  bene 
fit  of  mankind,  and,  especially,  to  lighten  the  burdens  of 
the  toilers,  and  give  them  the  opportunities  of  developing 
their  mental  faculties,  and  elevating  their  .moral  instincts 
by  utilizing  the  advantages  of  educational  facilities,  and 
coming  in  contact  with  refined  associations.  But  these 
productions  of  human  creation  have  been  employed  for 
the  promotion  of  the  few  and  the  degradation  of  the  many. 
Our  economic  system  is  established  on  a  false  presump 
tion  and  its  consequences  have  been,  not  only  deleterious, 
but  most  disastrous  to  the  world's  producers  of  wealth. 
Let  us  examine  the  cause  of  these  social  ills  without  preju 
dices  and  predilections,  and  we  will  open  our  investiga 
tions  with  a  few  definitions. 

Wealth  consists  of  all  those  things  which  have  been 
modified  in  any  way  by  human  labor  so  as  to  render  them 
capable  of  satisfying  human  desires.  The  land  is  not 
wealth,  because  land  in  itself  does  not  satisfy  human  de 
sires.  In  vain  would  you  plead  with  the  verdant  hills  and 
smiling  meads  to  transform  their  growth  into  lager  beer 
and  sauerkraut.  In  vain  would  you  appeal  to  the  mighty 
forests  and  umbrageous  groves  to  transmute  their  wealth 
into  cheese  and  macaroni.  We  say  that  Toadia  is  more 
wealthy  to-day  than  she  was  when  the  Rochelle  steamed 
up  the  placid  bosom  of  the  Baleh  Bay,  and  by  that  state 
ment  we  do  not  intend  to  convey  the  idea  that  she  has 
more  land,  more  natural  resources,  that  her  hills  are 
higher  and  her  mountains  more  majestic,  that  her  groves 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  57 

are  greener,  that  her  streams  are  longer  and  her  seas  are 
grander;  but  that  her  natural  resources  have  been  con 
verted  into  food,  clothing,  railways,  steamboats,  resi 
dences,  factories,  villages  and  cities. 

The  factors  of  wealth  are  land  and  labor,  as  labor  ap 
plied  to  the  land  produces  all  wealth.  But  they  say,  what 
about  capital?  I  cannot  consider  capital  a  factor  of 
wealth,  for  it  is  not  a  positive  agency,  but  merely  an  in 
strument  in  the  hand  of  labor.  Capital  is  stored-up  la 
bor,  and  therefore  is  nothing  more  than  the  product  of 
labor.  Labor  is  the  agency  which  transforms  the  rude 
materials  of  nature  into  articles  of  food,  clothing  and  do 
mestic  and  public  comfort,  and  all  the  wealth  in  the  world 
is  the  product  of  toil.  If  every  laborer  on  the  earth  would 
die  to-night,  what  would  be  the  fate  of  the  capitalists? 
They  would  perish  in  less  than  ten  days.  But  should  all 
the  capitalists  expire  this  moment,  what  would  be  the 
condition  of  the  laborers?  They  would  not  only  survive, 
but  would  grow  wealthy  in  being  permitted  to  appropriate 
the  entire  product  of  their  labor  without  a  master  to  claim 
eighty-three  per  cent  for  the  privilege  of  enjoying  the 
remainder  of  seventeen  per  cent. 

The  political  economists  of  this,  and  every  other  coun 
try,  have  magnified  the  importance  of  capital.  They  claim 
that  the  wages  of  labor  is  drawn  from  capital,  which  is 
false.  The  acceptance  of  this  principle  leads  to  the  con 
clusion  that  the  rate  of  wages  is  the  ratio  between  the 
number  of  laborers  seeking  employment  and  the  amount 
of  capital  expended,  and  this  is  the  foundation  of  all  those 
miseries  which  accompany  the  march  of  civilization. 

If  the  manufacturer  can  afford  to  spend  two  thousand 
dollars  daily  in  labor,  and  his  establishment  requires  the 
services  of  one  thousand  men,  and  only  that  number  seeks 
employment,  each  operative  will  receive  two  dollars  per 
day.  The  next  year  one  of  the  men  invents  a  machine, 
by  use  of  which  fifty  employes  can  do  the  work  of  the 
one  thousand  men.  Let  us  suppose  that  the  inventor  gets 
the  benefit  of  his  genius,  which  is  rarely  ever  the  case; 
then  this  individual  enters  into  a  new  field,  and  leaves  the 
nine  hundred  and  ninety-nine  to  compete  for  the  fifty 
positions.  This  competition  gives  the  proprietor  abso- 


58  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

lute  dominion  over  his  employes,  and  those  who  are  re 
tained  are  compelled  to  work  for  starvation  wages,  while 
the  discharged  are  reduced  to  mendicancy.  If  they  seek 
employment  in  other  fields,  they  find  the  machine  in  op 
eration  there,  and  twenty  men  competing  for  the  same 
position.  They  cannot  resort  to  other  trades,  for  we  must 
presume  that  the  power  of  machinery  has  forestalled 
them. 

Besides,  having  spent  the  best  years  of  their  lives,  and 
concentrated  the  wealth  of  their  genius  in  mastering  one 
line  of  business,  they  are  unfit  for  other  work,  or,  at  least, 
are  incapacitated  to  give  the  satisfaction  required,  and 
they  are  turned  away  to  yield  place  to  more  efficient 
workmanship.  They  cannot  expect  to  find  work  in  con 
structing  machinery,  for  if  the  same  amount  of  labor 
saved  by  the  application  of  machinery  were  utilized  in  the 
construction  of  machinery,  then  the  employment  of  ma 
chinery  would  not  redound  to  the  advantage  of  the  manu 
facturer. 

The  division  of  labor  increases  its  capacity  and  dimin 
ishes  the  demand.  Adam  Smith  says  that  one  man  can 
scarcely  make  twelve  pins  a  day,  whereas  ten  men,  each 
working  at  a  single  operation,  can  produce  forty-eight 
thousand  pins  a  day,  which  would  be  four  thousand  eight 
hundred  per  person.  The  ability  of  each  operative  is  in 
creased  live  hundred  fold,  or  each  is  now  able  to  do  the 
work  of  five  hundred  men.  This  is  simply  one  illustra 
tion  taken  from  hundreds. 

Both  machinery  and  the  formation  of  trusts,  according 
to  our  present  system,  are  mighty  agencies  in  the  en 
slavement  of  laborers.  The  result  of  this  competition  is 
the  reduction  of  wages  to  the  lowest  possible  point  upon 
which  laborers  can  live  and  reproduce.  Capital  has  been 
exalted  above  labor,  and  the  latter  has  been  made  a  com 
modity  which  we  buy  in  the  market  at  the  lowest  figure. 
In  hiring  the  laborer,  the  capitalist  never  considers  how 
much  wealth  the  former  creates,  but  how  cheaply  he  can 
be  hired.  In  Nichan,  one  of  the  most  ancient  countries  of 
the  trans-arctic  world,  where  the  competitive  system  has 
produced  its  ultimate  results,  laborers  live  on  rats,  and 
dogs  are  considered  a  great  delicacy  among  the  lower 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  59 

classes.  I  predict  that  within  fifty  years  from  to-day  the 
same  conditions  will  exist  in  Toadia.  In  the  dark  and 
dismal  days  that  shall  mark  the  close  of  this  century,  the 
poor  man's  wife  will  go  to  the  butcher's  shop  in  the  morn 
ing,  and  ask  for  cat  steak  and  skunk  cutlets. 

Since  the  beginning  of  January,  1850,  three  hundred 
trusts  have  been  formed  in  this  country.  One  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  traveling  agents  have  lost  their  posi 
tions  ;  nearly  one  billion  dollars  in  advertising  have  been 
saved  by  the  corporations ;  fifty  thousand  men  have  been 
discharged  by  the  railroads.  And  this  mighty  army  of 
employes  is  thrown  on  the  market,  if  the  expression  is 
legitimate,  and  competition  is  waxing  fierce.  Young  lady 
clerks  are  working  for  three  dollars  per  week,  and  are 
merely  tolerated  at  that  price.  The  department  stores 
have  driven  seven  hundred  thousand  small  business 
houses  from  the  field.  The  battalions  are  swelling  day 
by  day,  wages  is  sinking,  the  necessaries  of  life  are  in 
creasing,  hunger  stalks  through  the  land,  the  storm  is 
brewing,  clouds  are  rising  in  the  western  horizon,  the  roll 
of  thunder  echoes  through  the  mountain  dells,  lightning 
flames  are  blazing  in  the  skies,  and  the  nation  is  already  in 
the  throes  of  a  dreadful  revolution,  a  political  tempest,  a 
social  hurricane,  that  shall  leave  desolation  in  its  wake, 
and  drench  the  land  in  blood. 

The  wages  of  labor  is  the  product  of  labor.  In  the 
primitive  state  of  society,  before  the  formation  of  indus 
trial  corporations,  and  the  creation  of  a  monetary  system, 
every  man  obtained  his  subsistence  from  the  product  of 
his  toil.  The  hunter  roamed  the  forest,  armed  with  his 
bow  and  quiver,  pierced  the  heart  of  the  bounding  stag, 
and  brought  the  slaughtered  animal  home.  This  was  the 
product  of  his  labor,  and  it  was  his  wages.  Now  the  di 
vision  of  labor,  which  gives  rise  to  different  pursuits,  does 
not  alter  this  principle.  If  one  man  picked  berries,  an 
other  fished,  a  third  cultivated  a  few  acres  of  corn,  a  fourth 
pursued  the  occupation  of  an  archer  and  lived  on  wild 
beasts,  a  fifth  raised  fowl,  and  they  exchanged  their  ar 
ticles,  the  case  would  remain  unchanged.  The  hunter 
gives  his  deer  for  a  few  bushels  of  corn,  the  farmer  trans- 


60  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

fers  the  produce  of  his  toil  to  the  fisherman,  and  receives 
an  equivalent  in  another  form. 

Ten  men  depend  on  the  finny  tribe  .for  their  subsist 
ence.  One  remains  at  home  and  makes  boats  and  oars  for 
the  nine  who  go  out  on  the  deep,  and  he  receives,  in  ex 
change  for  his  boats  and  oars,  a  quantity  of  fish.  The 
one  who  furnishes  the  material  for  fishing  is  engaged  in 
that  industry  as  much  as  the  men  who  battle  with  the 
waves. 

Let  us  apply  this  principle  to  our  highly  civilized  state 
of  society.  A  stove  manufacturer  engages  a  hundred 
men  in  his  establishment,  and  he  pays  each  ten  dollars 
a  week.  Their  combined  efforts  produce  two'  thousand 
stoves  per  week.  The  work  expended  on  these  stoves 
represents  the  wages  of  the  operatives.  Hence  when  the 
employes  receive  their  compensation  on  Saturday  night, 
they  have  already  enhanced  the  wealth  of  the  manufac 
turer,  and  have  contributed  to  the  world's  store  of  wealth 
many  times  the  sum  which  they  draw  in  payment  for  their 
week's  salary.  The  proprietor,  therefore,  does  not  ad 
vance  the  wages  of  the  men,  when  he  gives  them  their 
compensation,  but  he  simply  converts  the  wealth  they 
have  created  into  another  form,  and  the  money  they  re 
ceive  is  merely  a  draft  on  the  world's  stock  of  wealth. 

Capital  assists  labor  in  the  production  of  wealth,  but 
does  not  support  labor.  If  we  had  no  capital  in  machin 
ery,  labor  would  be  compelled  to  make  these  improve 
ments  before  it  could  operate  with  the  same  facility. 
Money  is  merely  a  medium  of  exchange,  and  is  not  a  fac 
tor  of  wealth,  and  therefore  should  not  be  entitled  to  any 
merit  beyond  the  functions  which  it  performs.  Money 
should  not  breed  money.  Money  is  unproductive  and  in 
terest  is  usury. 

If  there  were  no  money,  and  the  operatives  received 
their  wages  in  stoves,  they  would  be  necessitated  to  seek 
some  one  who  would  be  willing  to  accept  their  articles- 
in  exchange  for  bread,  meat  and  clothes.  Since  money 
represents  the  products  of  labor,  such  as  shoes,  coats, 
hats,  it  is  nothing  more  than  accumulated  labor,  and 
hence  the  function  of  money  is  to  assist  the  laborer  in  the 
production  of  more  wealth  by  facilitating  the  conversion 


BEROND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN.  6l 

of  the  articles  created  by  .his  labor  into  other  articles 
which  his  daily  wants  require. 

Labor  is  the  only  title  to  property.  An  object  belongs 
to  me  in  virtue  of  the  fact  that  I  have  spent  my  energies  in 
its  creation.  But  labor  requires  material  for  the  exercise 
of  its  powers,  and  these  materials  are  begotten  in  the 
womb  of  nature.  The  materials  essential  in  the  suste 
nance  of  human  life  come  from  the  land.  By  the  land  I 
designate  the  entire  earth,  with  its  myriad  forms  of  life, 
whether  swimming  in  the  boundless  realm  of  waves, 
or  floating  in  the  purple  sheen  above,  or  creeping  in  the 
mire,  or  roaming  through  the  forest  glades  ;  for  every  liv 
ing  organic  creature,  aquatic,  aerial  or  terrestrial,  draws 
its  existence  from  the  earth,  and  therefore  it  is  a  product 
of  the  land.  Sugar-cane  and  cotton,  wheat  and  corn,  fish 
and  fowl,  the  clothes  that  we  wear  and  the  food  that  sus 
tains  our  lives,  the  stones  in  our  factories  and  the  bricks 
in  our  houses,  the  wood  in  our  carriages  and  the  iron  in 
our  railways,  all  come  from  land ;  but  it  requires  labor  to 
bring  them  forth  from  their  original  mod-e  of  existence, 
and  form  them  for  their  special  purpose. 

It  is  true  that,  in  the  production  of  the  materials  util 
ized  in  perpetuating  human  existence,  and  increasing  the 
comforts  of  life,  light  and  water  are  essential,  but  these  are 
included  in  land,  inasmuch  as  the  earth  receives  all  these 
agencies.  It  requires  labor  to  cultivate  the  soil  and  de 
velop  its  latent  energies.  Nature  produces  the  means, 
contains  the  power,  but  it  requires  the  exercise  of  labor 
to  call  forth  the  hidden  treasures  and  embryonic  possi 
bilities. 

Nature  makes  no  distinction  between  her  children. 
She  does  not  create  rich  or  poor,  lords  or  slaves.  All  are 
equal  before  her.  It  is  true  that  some  are  endowed  with 
greater  mental  capacity,  more  muscular  power,  more 
courage  and  fortitude  than  others,  yet  in  the  struggle  for 
existence  she  shows  no  favors.  All  have  the  same  right  to 
the  gifts  which  she  bestows.  She  smiles  upon  the  cabin 
as  blandly  as  upon  the  castle,  and  she  frowns  upon  the 
king  as  well  as  upon  the  peasant.  The  wind  fills  the  sail 
of  the  fishing  smack  as  well  as  the  merchantman  that  car 
ries  cargoes  of  provisions  over  thousands  of  leagues  of 


62  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

foamy  waves.  The  sun  shines  as  benignly  upon  the  gar 
den  of  the  cottager  as  the  demense  of  the  Danish  lord. 
The  dews  of  night  and  the  clouds  of  heaven  refresh  the 
fields  of  the  poor  and  the  rich  without  distinction.  The 
treasures  of  nature  are  open  to  all  who  court  and  win  her 
favors  by  the  application  of  toil. 

What  constitutes  the  rightful  basis  of  property  ?  Does 
not  the  right  of  property  originate  in  the  fact  that  it  has 
been  created  by  labor,  in  the  fact  that  every  man  is  enti 
tled  to  the  use  of  his  faculties,  his  powers,  and  to  whatever 
those  faculties  and  powers  produce?  What  enables  me  to 
say  that  this  house  is  mine?  Because  I  have  made  it  or 
purchased  it  from  some  other  person  who  made  it,  and 
transferred  his  right  to  me.  We  may  trace  the  article 
back  through  a  hundred  owners,  and  finally  we  reach  the 
original  maker.  "There  can  be  no  ownership  of  any 
thing,  no  rightful  title,  which  is  not  derived  from  the  title 
of  the  producer,  and  does  not  rest  in  the  natural  right  of 
a  man  to  himself." 

Now  this  right  of  ownership,  based  on  labor,  excludes 
every  other  title.  For  if  I  am  entitled  to  myself,  and  can 
exercise  my  power  of  production,  it  essentially  follows 
that  I  must  have  material  on  which  to  expend  my  ener 
gies.  Now  land,  which  is  not  produced  by  labor,  cannot 
be  subject  to  private  ownership.  Private  ownership  in 
land  would  violate  natural  justice,  for  it  deprives  the  la 
borer  of  the  opportunities  of  exerting  his  powers,  and 
hence  robs  him  of  the  ownership  of  his  person.  For  if 
he  cannot  exercise  his  energies  without  permission,  he  is 
subject  to  the  will  of  others,  and  is  a  slave.  The  landlord 
can  compel  those  who  own  no  land  to  give  a  part  of  the 
fruit  produced  by  their  toil  as  a  compensation  for  the 
privilege  of  exercising  their  powers  ;  and,  hence,  the  right 
to  property  not  created  by  labor  is  an  infringement  on  the 
right  to  property  created  by  labor. 

Every  man  born  into  the  world  has  a  right  to  life.  The 
babe  of  the  monarch  and  the  subject,  the  child  of  the 
gilded  palace  and  the  miserable  hovel,  are  equal  in  their 
claim  to  the  right  to  life.  But  land  is  necessary  for  the 
exercise  of  this  right,  and  hence  no  one  can  be  deprived 
of  the  use  of  land.  The  private  ownership  of  land  would 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  63 

place  the  lives  of  the  toiling  millions  in  the  power  of  the 
landlords.  If  any  man  could  control  the  light  of  the  sun, 
the  existence  of  the  human  race  would  be  at  his  mercy ;  if 
any  man  could  direct  the  circulation  of  the  air,  he  would 
be  in  a  position  to  dispense  that  element  at  a  penny  a 
breath ;  if  any  man  held  the  streams  and  seas  and  lakes 
and  bays  at  his  command,  he  could  famish  the  earth  and 
destroy  the  commerce  of  the  world  ;  and  if  any  man  owned 
the  earth,  he  could  drive  every  living  creature  into  the 
briny  flood. 

Place  the  land  at  the  disposal  of  the  individual,  and 
you  clothe  him  with  absolute  power  over  the  lives  and  ac 
tions  of  his  fellow-beings.  He  can  compel  them  to  crouch 
as  slaves  at  the  foot  of  his  throne,  and  toil  under  the  stroke 
of  the  lash.  If  I  own  a  farm  of  land,  I  have  complete  do 
minion  over  it,  and  can  dispose  of  it  according  to  my 
pleasure.  I  can  exclude  others  from  the  use  of  it,  and  let 
it  lie  fallow  while  millions  cry  for  bread.  If  I  have  not 
this  right,  then  my  ownership  is  not  complete,  and 
amounts  to  nothing  more  than  possession.  If  I  owned 
the  entire  earth,  I  would  violate  no  law  in  forcing  the  rest 
of  mankind  to  vacate  my  dominions.  - 

Nature  has  given  to  all  the  sons  of  Adam  the  use  of 
the  earth,  and  has  assiduously  guarded  the  rights  of  un 
born  generations  by  prohibiting  private  property  in  land  ; 
and  God  has  sanctioned  the  decrees  of  nature,  for  He  has 
given  no  individual  a  title  to  land. 

When  this  government  shall  recognize  the  voice  of 
nature,  which  cries  out  against  the  degrading  poverty 
which  haunts  the  footsteps  of  the  wealth-producers,  while 
the  capitalist  revels  in  luxuries ;  when  the  laws1  of  our 
country  shall  do  justice  to  every  child  born,  beneath  the 
smile  of  our  sun  and  the  glitter  of  our  stars,  then  the  pang 
of  hunger  will  no  longer  distort  the  faces  of  little  babes, 
and  fill  their  hearts  with  gloom.  No  longer  will  the 
mother,  by  the  glimmering  firelight  in  the  chill  wintry  eve, 
with  the  howl  of  the  north  wind  sweeping  through  her 
wretched  hovel,  wailing  in  harmony  with  the  desolation 
of  her  soul,  weep  over  the  lifeless  form  of  her  darling  child 
who  perished  for  lack  of  clothing.  No  longer  will  the 
gamins  wander  about  in  tatters,  begging  for  a  morsel  of 


64  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

bread.  No  longer  will  the  rosy-cheeked  maiden  sacrifice 
her  virtue  at  the  unhallowed  shrine  of  lust;  no  longer 
will  strong  men  grow  wan  and  faint  in  the  struggle  for 
existence;  no  longer  will  haggard,  careworn  women  fall 
and  die  on  the  roadside ;  no  longer  will  the  red  hand  of 
murder  tarnish  the  brow  of  justice,  and  the  curse  of  crim 
inals  shriek  through  our  dungeon  cells. 

O  ye  men  of  power ;  ye  legislators  entrusted  with  the 
weal  of  the  nations ;  ye  hypocrites  who  swallow  a  camel 
and  strain  at  a  gnat ;  ye  pharisees  who  are  scrupulously 
exact  about  the  exterior  of  the  vessel,  but  are  blind  to  its 
interior  condition;  ye  hypocrites  who  are  like  whited 
sepulchres,  who  are  covered  with  the  blood  of  little  babes, 
who  have  murdered  the  poor,  the  innocent  and  the  de 
fenseless  ;  ye  brood  of  vipers  who  poison  the  nation  with 
your  venomous  stings,  who  drink  the  life  current  of  thou 
sands  every  year,  who  are  reveling  in  luxury  and  vice 
while  the  poor  are  begging  for  justice — ah !  it  will  be 
more  tolerable  for  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  in  the  day  of 
judgment  than  for  you.  The  long-lost  inhabitants  of 
Tyre  and  Sidon  will  appear  as  shining  angels  in  your  pres 
ence. 

Rise  up  at  once !  Recognize  the  claims  of  your  per 
secuted  brethren ;  acknowledge  your  iniquities ;  purge 
yourselves  by  doing  justice  to  the  poor  and  the  forsaken 
and  the  oppressed ;  wipe  away  the  tears  of  sorrow  from 
the  eyes  of  orphans,'  and  heal  the  wounds  you  have  made 
in  the  hearts  of  widows.  Unless  you  rectify  these  awful 
wrongs  which  you  have  perpetrated,  the  passions  of  your 
victims,  goaded  to  fury  by  their  miseries,  will  sweep  over 
the  land  like  a  desolating  cyclone. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

This  letter  created  a  profound  sensation  in  the  aristo 
cratic  suburbs  of  Meron  the  morning  of  its  appearance  in 
the  Ledger,  and  within  a  few  days  every  plutocratic  jour 
nal  in  the  country  was  commenting  on  the  temerity  of  the 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  65 

youthful  author,  and  denouncing  his  doctrine  as  anar 
chistic.  The  following  rejoinder,  written  by  Aaron  Nich 
olson,  an  Israelitic  rabbi  of  Vestonlag,  was  published  in 
the  Standard : 

Editor  of  Standard : — I  noticed  in  the  columns  of  the 
Ledger,  of  your  city,  a  contribution  from  the  pen  of  Mr. 
Isaac  Gilhooley,  a  young  law  student  in  your  State  Uni 
versity,  in  which  the  writer  attacks  the  foundation  of  our 
social  fabric  by  teaching  communism,  which  is-  an'  eu 
phemism  for  anarchy.  God  has  made  man  a  social  being 
and  in  virtue  of  that  innate  desire,  man  seeks  the  society  of 
his  fellow-man.  Since  self-interest  and  dependence  draw 
men  together,  government  is  essential  for  the  preserva 
tion  of  order,  for  the  restraining  of  the  evil  proclivities 
of  lawless  characters,  for  the  prevention  of  crime  and  the 
promotion  of  the  common  weal.  Hence,  the  power  of 
making  laws  for  the  protection  of  property  has  been  given 
to  mankind  by  the  Ruler  of  the  universe.  Now,  if  men 
agree  to  grant  individuals  the  right  to  possess'  land,  then 
that  right  is  just  and  sacred.  It  is  society  exercising  its 
God-given  right  of  legislation.  As  Mr.  Gilhooley  says, 
man  has  a  right  to  dispose  of  his  labor,  and  he  has  conse 
quently  the  right  of  converting  the  product  of  his  labor 
into  land,  which  is  the  only  substantial  property. 

If  we  did  not  have  a  right  to  own  land,  then  we 
could  not  call  any  place  our  home,  we  would  be  tenants 
of  the  government.  If  land  is  common  property,  then 
every  man  can  claim  the  whole  earth.  Now,  if  every  man 
can  claim  the  whole  earth,  he  might  have  reason  to  grum 
ble  if  any  other  man  took  a  part  of  his  possession.  The 
question  arises  who  is  to  Own  this  field  and  who  is  to  own 
that  field.  This  mode  of  partitioning  the  land  would  en 
gender  endless  disputes,  for  no  one  would'  really  know 
what  he  owned. 

"Besides,  Mr.  Gilhooley  presumes  everybody  lives  on 
the  land,  which  is  a  false  hypothesis.  While  the  farmer 
tills  the  soil,  he  needs  some  one  to  make  his  plows,  some 
one  to  make  his  shoes,  some  one  to  grind  his  wheat,  some 
one  to  bake  his  bread,  officials  to  protect  his  property. 
Now  all  these  people  do  not  live  directly  on  the  land. 

"Again,  Mr.  Gilhooley    presumes    that    every    man 


66  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

should  have  exactly  the  same  amount  of  land,  and  this  is 
a  false  supposition.  All  men  do  not  require  the  same 
amount  of  land.  The  farmer  needs  several  hundred  acres, 
the  ranchman  several  thousand,  whereas  the  blacksmith 
requires  but  a  few  feet  for  his  shop. 

"Mr.  Gilhooley  rants  a  great  deal  about  the  equality 
of  mankind.  He  claims  that  all  are  entitled  to  equal  op 
portunities  of  existence.  All  men  are  not  equal.  Some 
are  large  and  others  are  small.  Some  are  geniuses  and 
others  are  fools.  The  writer  also  presumes  that  labor  is 
the  sole  factor  in  the  creation  of  wealth.  This  is  likewise 
a  mistake.  The  sun's  rays  are  essential,  also  air  and  water, 
He  indulges  in  silly,  stupid  twaddle  about  the  rights  of 
unborn  generations.  The  unborn  generation  is  not  yet  in 
existence,  and  that  which  does  not  exist  can  not  have  any 
rights. 

"Ostensibly  the  soi-disant  savant  wishes  God  to  come 
down  from  the  skies  and  legalize  our  land  titles,  as  He  de 
livered  the  Decalogue  on  Mt.  Sinai.  Mr.  Gilhooley  can 
exercise  the  right  of  thought,  and  yet  he  never  received 
permission  from  God  for  that  purpose.  Our  laws  are  just, 
and  every  one  enjoys  equal  advantages,  and  the  distinc 
tion  between  classes  originates  in  the  natural  disparities 
of  men.  Mr.  Gilhooley  should  study  logic  and  moral 
philosophy,  and  he  would  not  venture  to  father  such  opin 
ions  as  he  advanced  in  the  Ledger. 

"Yours  truly, 

"Aaron  Nicholson." 

When  the  first  communication  from  the  pen  of  Isaac 
appeared  in  the  press,  many  of  the  wealthy  men  of  Meroru 
and  the  opulent  patrons  of  the  University,  notified  the 
rector  that  they  would  withdraw  their  support  from  the 
institution  if  the  students  were  permitted  to*  advance  ideas 
that  would  revolutionize  society,  and,  perhaps,  demolish 
the  government.  The  rector  had,  on  receipt  of  these 
peremptory  communications,  notified  Isaac  Gilhooley  that 
he  must  withhold  his  views  on  the  land  question  from  the 
public  press.  But  our  young  hero  was  not  to  be  daunted 
by  the  arbitrary  voice  of  plutocracy,  and  he  informed  the 
rector  that  he  was  a  Toadian  citizen,  and  would  not  frame 
his  thoughts  and  language  in  the  mould  of  other  men,  nor 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  67 

would  he  acquiesce  to  the  caprice  of  any  enthroned  auto 
crat.  The  rector  informed  the  young  man  that  a  repeti 
tion  of  such  misdemeanors  would  be  punished  by  imme 
diate  expulsion  from  the  institution. 

On  the  fifth  of  December  the  Ledger  attracted  the 
eyes  of  all  its  readers  by  the  prominent  caption,  "The 
Politician  and  the  Rabbi  Meet  on  the  Bloody  Arena.  The 
Rod  of  Aaron  Is  Devoured  by  the  Serpents  of  the  Egyp 
tian  Magician.  The  Israelite  Has  Fallen  by  the  Sword 
of  the  Philistine." 

"Editor  of  Ledger : — I  observed,  in  last  week's  issue 
of  the  Standard,  a  paper  from  Aaron  Nicholson,  a  Rabbi 
of  Vestonlag,  in  which  the  reverend  gentleman  attacks 
my  position  on  the  injustice  of  land  ownership.  How 
ever,  I  regret  for  the  honor  of  the  ministry  and  the  repu 
tation  it  has  acquired  for  learning,  that  Mr.  Nicholson  has 
rendered  himself  ridiculous  in  the  minds  of  intelligent 
people.  In  the  first  place  his  cause  is  indefensible,  and 
the  most  profound  erudition  could  not  rescue  him  from 
humiliating  failure ;  but  the  superficial  Rabbi  has  en 
hanced  the  difficulties  and  objections  that  confront  his 
side  of  the  question,  by  absolute  ignorance  of  the  subject 
he  attempts  to  manipulate,  and  his  total  misconception  of 
my  communication.  His  letter  to  the  Standard  is  distin 
guished  for  its  vain  and  unsophisticated  assertions.  I  do 
my  adversary  no  injustice  when  I  characterize  his  article 
as  the  triumph  of  banality  and  puerility. 

"It  is  true  that  God  has  given  man  the  right  to  make 
laws  for  the  preservation  of  society,  but  I  fail  to  see  that 
this  purpose  is  accomplished  by  disinheriting  the  human 
race  of  its  birthright,  and  jeopardizing  millions  of  lives-  by 
placing  them  at  the  mercy  of  a  venal,  luxurious,  atheistic, 
conscienceless  Mammon.  Did  not  God  forbid  stealing? 
And  when  society  legislates  in  favor  of  private  ownership 
of  land,  this  is  legalizing  a  theft  of  the  gravest  nature. 
God  gave  every  man  a  right  to  life,  and  society,  by  passing 
enactments  to  secure  the  right  of  landlords,  deprives  man 
of  the  right  to  his  life,  and  places  the  right  to  life  in  the 
power  of  the  landlord  alone. 

"God  gave  man  ownership  over  his  person,  the  facul 
ties  of  his  mind  and  body.  This  personal  right  cannot 


68  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

be  exercised  without  land,  for  how  can  a  man  expend  his 
energies,  unless  there  be  some  object  to  receive  those  en 
ergies  ?  Threfore,  in  defending  the  right  to  land  owner 
ship,  society  gives  the  landlord  the  right  to  dispose  of  the 
powers  and  persons  of  other  men.  Far  back  in  the  dim 
and  distant  centuries  God  spoke  to  the  bridal  pair  as  they 
roved  along  the  crystal  streams  and  through  the  shady 
groves  of  Eden,  saying  unto  them :  'Increase  and  mul 
tiply  and  fill  the  earth  and  subdue  it,  and  rule  over  the 
fishes  of  the  sea  and  the  fowls  of  the  air  and  all  living 
creatures  that  move  upon  the  earth.  And  God  said :  Be 
hold  I  have  given  you  every  herb  bearing  seed  upon  the 
earth,  and  all  the  trees  that  have  in  themselves  seed  of 
their  own  kind,  to  be  your  meat.  And  to  all  the  beasts 
of  the  earth,  and  to  every  fowl  of  the  air,  and  to  all  that 
move  upon  the  earth,  and  wherein  there  is  life  that  they 
may  have  to  feed  upon.'  (Gen.,  i  Ch.) 

''This  is  sufficient  evidence  to  show  that  God  gave  the 
earth  and  all  its  fruits  to  mankind  at  large,  and  that  all 
generations  were  included  in  that  grant.  In  reference  to 
Mr.  Nicholson's  insipid  attempt  to  display  philosophical 
erudition,  by  stating  that  the  unborn  generation  is  not  yet 
in  existence,  and  therefore  can  have  no  right,  I  wish  to 
inform  my  pretentious  critic  that  one  generation  merges 
into  another,  and  the  continuity  is  unbroken,  and  it  does 
not  require  any  profundity  of  logical  acumen  or  meta 
physical  lore  to  discern  that  this  is  necessary  for  the  per 
petuation  of  the  human  race.  The  rights  of  the  unborn 
generations  were  reserved  in  the  divine  grant,  just  as  a 
father  leaves  an  estate  entail  to  the  heirs  of  his1  son.  When 
these  heirs  are  born,  they  immediately  acquire  their  right. 
Adam  and  Eve  were  to  enjoy  the  fruit  of  the  earth  during 
their  life-time,  and  each  generation  was  entitled  to  the 
same  privilege,  but  had  no  right  to  dispose  of  the  sub 
stance. 

"Blackstone,  referring  to  the  first  chapter  of  Genesis, 
writes  :  'This  is  the  only  true  and  solid  foundation  of  man's 
dominion  over  external  things,  whatever  airy,  metaphysi 
cal  notions  may  have  been  started  by  fanciful  writers  on 
the  subject.  The  earth,  therefore,  and  all  things  therein, 
are  the  general  property  of  mankind'  (Com.  Eng.  Law, 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  69 

Book  2nd,  p.  208).  Since  this  is  the  foundation  of  land 
titles,  and  since  the  land  was  given  to  all  mankind  and  to 
all  generations,  then  the  title  extended  to  the  usufruct, 
and  not  to  the  substance.  If  it  referred  to  the  substance, 
then  one  generation  could  alienate  its  dominions,  and  the 
next  generation  would  be  born  without  any  right  to  the 
usufruct  of  the  land,  which  is  contrary  to  the  Genesiac 
phraseology. 

"Men  have  a  right  to  relinquish  their  personal  claims, 
but  they  have  no  right  to  sell  the  claims  of  another  gener 
ation.  Since  their  personal  right  of  using  land  cannot 
be  abdicated  without  destroying  the  rights  of  the  next 
generation,  the  right  of  the  present  generation  to  the  use 
of  land  cannot  be  abandoned.  Now  that  original  title 
wherein  all  men  are  to  have  equal  access  to  the  fruits  of 
the  earth,  remains  until  abolished  by  another  positive  de 
cree  ;  and  since  there  is  no  divine  decree  altering  the  orig 
inal  law,  the  title  is  still  extant.  This  should  be  plain 
enough  for  Rabbi  Nicholson,  whose  office  is  to  read  and 
expound  the  law  of  God  contained  in  the  Ancient  Tes 
tament.  Every  man  can  exercise  his  natural  rights  (as 
long  as  they  do  not  conflict  with  the  natural  rights  of 
others)  until  he  is  restricted  by  divine  law.  By  natural 
law  all  men  own  the  earth,  and  this  has  been  confirmed  by 
divine  law,  and  therefore  he  who  would,  in  violation  of 
this  dual  enactment,  appropriate  land  and  exercise  own 
ership  in  same,  should  be  compelled  to  substantiate  his 
claims,  by  showing  that  the  author  of  these  two  laws  had 
suspended  their  operation  in  his  case. 

"By  natural  law  I  can  use  my  faculties,  and  this  has 
not  been  annulled  by  divine  positive  law,  and  therefore  it 
is  not  necessary,  as  in  the  former  case,  that  God  should 
sanction  my  right  by  a  special  commission.  The  parity 
which  the  clerical  charlatan  attempted  to  establish  in  these 
two  cases,  is  like  all  his  logic,  philosophy  and  political 
economy,  the  mirage  of  a  mental  desert,  the  ignis  fatuus 
of  a  befogged  intellect. 

"The  difficulties  of  common  ownership  could  be  ob 
viated  by  placing  a  tax,  equal  to  its  full  rental,  on  land 
values,  and  those  who  are  willing  to  pay  the  tax  for  a 
larger  area  would  be  entitled  to  the  use  of  a  larger  area. 


70  BEYOND  THE   BLACK  OCEAN 

This  tax  would  be  more  than  sufficient  to  defray  all  the 
expenses  of  government,  and,  therefore,  improvements, 
which  are  the  product  of  labor,  would  be  exempt  from 
taxation.  This  would  be  the  most  just  tax  because  it  is 
imposed  on  the  gifts  of  nature  and  removed  from  labor's 
products.  If  some  use  the  land,  a  right  which  all  possess 
equally,  then  they  should  pay  for  the  enjoyment  of  that 
privilege.  By  a  tax  on  land,  the  community  receives  a 
compensation  for  the  use  of  a  gift  which  God  has  created 
for  the  benefit  of  all. 

"We  now  must  consider  the  factors  in  the  creation  of 
land  values.  Four  hundred  years  ago  I  could  have  pur 
chased  this  county  for  one  dollar,  and  to-day  the  same 
land  is  worth  many  millions.  At  that  distant  period  civili 
zation  had  not  penetrated  the  wilderness  of  the  west ;  the 
bush  house  rested  on  Mt.  Gilead  and  Snowy  Peak,  the 
dusky  warrior  roamed  along  the  plains  of  Gideon  and 
feared  not  the  pale-faced  intruder  from  the  shores  of  the 
Hager  and  the  Goshon.  Since  then  the  aborigines  have 
wandered  beyond  the  desert  of  Gaza,  the  Caucasian  has 
followed  the  footsteps  of  the  conquered  race,  and  the  en 
terprising  city  of  Meron  has  risen  above  the  ruins  of  the 
Scythian  village.  What  has  created  the  present  value  of 
real  estate  in  the  Maiden  City?  Labor  which  felled  the 
oak  and  the  sycamore  and  the  beech,  cleared  away  the 
forests,  built  streets,  houses,  mills,  factories  and  railroads. 

"In  a  little  village  on  our  western  frontier,  real  estate 
is  very  cheap,  because  there  are  no  transportation  facili 
ties,  no  industries,  a  very  inferior  school,  and  the  small 
stores  which  the  patronage  of  the  place  supports  cannot 
afford  to  carry  expensive  materials,  and  the  wealthier  in 
habitants  are  compelled  to  visit  distant  cities  to  procure 
the  costly  articles  that  satisfy  their  tastes.  There  are  no 
inducement  to  homeseekers,  because  people  prefer  to 
pay  a  much  higher  price  for  lots  in  a  location  where  they 
can  enjoy  every  domestic  comfort  and  every  commercial 
advantage.  A  few  enterprising  capitalists  establish  fac 
tories,  build  a  railroad  through  the  hamlet,  open  up  com 
munication  with  other  cities ;  people  come  in  vast  numbers 
to  seek  locations ;  there  is  an  enormous  demand  for  lots, 
and  real  estate  is  enhanced  ten-fold  its  former  value.  Who 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  71 

should  bear  the  burdens  of  supporting  the  government? 
The  men  who  created  the  value  in  the  land  by  their  im 
provements,  or  the  men  who  did  nothing  for  the  advance 
ment  of  the  city,  but  who  are  now  enjoying,  in  the  in 
creased  land  values,  the  sole  benefit  of  the  progress  made 
by  the  thrift,  energy,  labor  and  wealth  of  others  ? 

"Would  it  not  be  a  stimulant  to  labor  to  lighten  its 
burden,  to  exempt  the  product  of  toil  from  taxation? 
Would  not  labor  expend  its  resources  in  creating  more 
wealth  ?  Would  not  improvements  multiply  rapidly  if  all 
restrictions  in  the  nature  of  taxation  were  removed? 
Levy  a  tax  on  dogs  and  there  will  be  fewer  dogs.  Levy 
a  tax  on  wealth  and  there  will  be  less  wealth.  Taxes  are 
paid  to  the  government  in  compensation  for  services  ren 
dered  in  protecting  property.  But  the  landlord  alone  is 
reaping  the  advantage  of  the  improvements,  and  in  justice 
he  should  pay  for  the  protection  of  those  improvements. 
If  a  conflagration  should  envelop  the  city,  and  leave 
naught  in  its  path  but  smoking  ruins,  real  estate  would 
immediately  fall  from  building  lot  prices  to  frontier  farm 
ing  land  prices. 

"The  improvements  in  a  large  city  do  not  cost  more 
than  in  the  country,  and  perhaps  much  less,  for,  owing  to 
the  abundance  of  labor  and  material,  both  are  cheaper. 
However,  real  estate  in  a  city  is  a  hundred  times  more 
expensive  than  in  the  country,  because  a  dense  popula 
tion  has  augmented  the  improvements,  which  pander  to 
human  comforts,,  and  have  made  the  place  an  important 
emporium,  and  therefore  have  created  a  demand  for  land. 

"A  sturdy  son  of  toil  abandons  the  refined  society  in 
the  center  of  population,  and  wanders  forth  to  the  unfre 
quented  and  pathless  wilderness,  with  the  hope  of  ame 
liorating  his  condition  and  acquiring  a  fortune  for  his 
family.  The  country  is  inviting  on  every  side,  endowed 
with  potent  energies,  refreshed  with  limpid  streams', 
bathed  in  the  sheen  of  the  sun  and  smiling  in  the  gleam 
of  the  moon  and  the  glitter  of  the  stars.  All  the  vast  re 
gion  is  without  a  claimant,  on  account  of  its  remoteness 
from  the  haunts  of  civilized  life,  and  consequently  it  is 
without  value. 

"The  pioneer  selects  his  location  and  appropriates  as 


72  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

much  land  as  he  can  cultivate.  Others  follow  his  foot 
steps,  and  finding  the  land  everywhere  of  equal  fertility, 
they  occupy  tracts  adjacent  to  the  farm  of  the  first  settler, 
and  his  farm,  in  the  course  of  time,  becomes  the  nucleus 
of  a  large  agricultural  community.  To  supply  themselves 
with  the  comforts  of  life,  it  is  necessary  to  introduce, 
stores,  build  a  school,  establish  a  postoffice,  and  naturally 
they  would  select  the  first  farm  for  the  location  of  these 
buildings.  Now  the  first  settler's  land  acquires  a  special 
value,  and  this  value  has  been  created  by  the  expansion 
of  the  community,  the  enlargement  of  the  population,  and 
not  from  the  efforts  of  the  pioneer. 

"The  community  is  now  divided  between  merchants 
and  husbandmen,  and,  of  course,  every  one  wishes  to  be 
near  the  market,  and  there  is  an  increased  demand  for 
land  in  the  center  of  the  district.  If  there  were  no  land 
titles,  disputes  would  arise  about  the  right  of  appropriat 
ing  the  most  desirable  lots.  With  our  present  land  sys 
tem,  the  first  settler  would  accumulate  an  immense  for 
tune  from  the  growth  of  the  community.  Is  there  no  way 
of  adjusting  these  difficulties?  Is  there  no  way  of  pre 
venting  disputes  about  the  ownership  of  individuals,  when 
land  belongs  to  the  community  at  large,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  is  there  no  method  of  securing  to*  the  community 
the  wealth  it  has  created  by  its  improvements?  Levy  a 
revenue  tax  on  land  values,  remove  the  burden  of  taxa 
tion  from  improvements,  make  the  land  tax  equal  to  its 
full  rental.  The  most  desirable  location  will  bring  a 
higher  tax,  and  the  more  remote  a  lower  tax.  Those  who 
are  willing  and  able  to  pay  the  higher  tax  would  be  enti 
tled  to  the  best  locations;  and  the  others  would  select 
cheaper  lots.  If  the  first  settler  desired  to  retain  his  en 
tire  tract,  and  pay  the  increased  tax,  he  would  be  entitled 
to  hold  it. 

'Then  the  amount  of  land  possessed  by  each  one  is  de 
termined  by  the  amount  of  tax  each  one  is  willing  and  able 
to  pay.  No  one  would  keep  more  land  than  he  could  use, 
for  it  would  be  unprofitable  to  do  so.  As  the  land  tax 
would  be  the  only  tax,  we  appropriately  designate  it  the 
Single  Tax.  According  to  the  Single  Tax  system,  land 
lords  would  not  be  molested  in  their  possessions  but  could 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  73 

live  on  their  estates  forever,  and  bequeath  them  to  their 
posterity.  The  only  difference  between  the  present  sys^ 
tern  and  the  Single  Tax  system  consists  in  the  increased 
tax  imposed  on  land.  Our  titles  would  not  be  altered,  and 
no  change  would  be  made.  This  system  would  diminish 
governmental  expenses  by  dismissing  an  army  of  officials 
who  are  employed  in  the  revenue  service.  Sixty-five  per 
cent  of  the  land  tax  would  be  sufficient  to  defray  ex 
penses,  and  the  total  taxation  on  land  and  improvements' 
to-day  would  fall  from  one  hundred  to  sixty-five  per  cent. 

"In  this  country  the  Wellthorgans  own  two  millions 
acres  of  land ;  the  Rothmans  two  millions  acres ;  Lord 
Formeyer  three  millions ;  the  Danish  nobility  twenty 
millions,  and  the  railroads  two  hundred  millions  acres. 
These  lands  are  held  for  the  sake  of  speculation,  while 
thousands  of  paupers  cry  for  the  crumbs  that  fall  from  our 
tables.  They  were  acquired  at  a  sacrifice  (often  by  grant, 
as  this  government  donated  one  hundred  and  sixty  mill 
ion  acres  to  the  railroads)  and  the  tax  on  them  is  a  mere 
bagatelle.  Raise  the  tax  to  the  full  rental,  and  these  broad 
tracts  will  be  thrown  on  the  market  at  reduced  prices,  and 
millions  of  paupers  will  be  enabled  to  secure  homes. 

"New  Media,  previously  to  1830,  was  cursed  with  vast 
wealth  and  degrading  poverty.  A  few  great  landlords  had 
dominion  over  the  country.  A  graduated  land  tax,  rang 
ing  from  one  to  three  cents  on  the  dollar,  according  to  the 
extent  of  the  domain,  with  an  extra  two  cents  for  absentee 
landlords,  proved  so  heavy  that  the  most  of  the  vast  es 
tates  were  offered  for  sale.  To-day  there  is  not  a  million 
aire  in  New  Media,  only  one  man  owns  half  a  million,  and 
there  is  scarcely  a  pauper  in  the  land. 

"The  Single  Tax  would  have  the  same  effect  here,  and 
the  full  rental  of  the  present  time  would  fall,  on  account 
of  the  abundance  of  the  land,  at  least  thirty-five  per  cent. 
Let  us  see  what  advantages  would  follow  from  this  sys 
tem. 

"A  man  owns  a  lot  upon  which  he  pays  five  hundred 
dollars  taxes,  and  he  erects  a  factory  upon  this  lot,  and  his 
taxes  are  increased  to  one  thousand  dollars.  Another 
man  has  a  vacant  lot  of  the  same  size  adjacent  to  the  fac 
tory  and  he  pays  five  hundred  dollars  in  taxes.  The  Sin- 


74  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

gle  Tax  system  would  relieve  the  first  man's  factory,  and 
place  the  entire  thousand  dollars  on  the  lot.  Real  estate 
having  fallen  thirty-five  per  cent  the  manufacturer  would 
pay  sixty-five  per  cent,  and  therefore  six  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars  instead  of  one  thousand  dollars.  The  second  man 
would  pay  exactly  the  same.  Now  the  second  man  would 
immediately  erect  some  industry  on  his  vacant  lot,  estab 
lish  a  large  mill,  employ  hundreds  of  men  in  constructing 
this  plant,  and  hundreds  of  others  in  operating  it.  Hence 
thousands  of  dollars  are  now  spent  in  the  city,  where  not 
one  cent  was  expended  before. 

"A  poor  man  wishes  to  erect  a  dwelling.  He  buys  a 
lot  for  two  thousand  dollars  and  builds  a  residence  for 
two  thousand  dollars.  He  will  pay  a  tax  of  fifty  dollars 
annually  for  the  lot  and  the  same  amount  for  the  house. 
Now  the  Single  Tax  exempts  the  house  and  imposes  the 
whole  sum  on  the  lot,  which  sum  will  be  reduced  thirty- 
five  per  cent  and  hence  instead  of  one  hundred  dollars  he 
pays  sixty-five  dollars. 

"But  this  is  not  all.  He  has  only  two  thousand  dollars, 
for  which  he  will  purchase  the  lot,  and  according  to  our 
present  system  he  could  not  build  till  he  has  accumulated 
two  thousand  dollars  more,  and  all  this  time  he  pays  fifty 
dollars  annually  in  taxes.  The  Single  Tax  plan  would 
enable  him  to  build,  with  the  two  thousand  dollars,  a 
house  on  any  vacant  lot  which  is  not  appropriated,  and 
pay  the  government  sixty-five  dollars  annually  for  the 
use  of  the  lot.  In  that  way  the  poor  man  saves  two  thou 
sand  dollars  in  the  beginning,  and  thirty-five  dollars  an 
nually  for  the  rest  of  his  life. 

"Rabbi  Nicholson  attempted  to  prove  that  all  men  do 
not  live  on  the  land,  and  he  illustrates  this  by  referring  to 
the  mechanic  who  makes  plows,  the  miller  who  grinds  the 
flour,  the  sheriff  who  keeps  the  peace.  Is  it  possible  that 
these  men  do  not  eat  food  or  wear  clothes?  Of  course 
they  do.  Well,  then,  they  are  living  on  the  fruits  of  the 
land.  Do  they  live  in  the  clouds  and  float  around  on  the 
moonbeams  ?  No ;  they  live  on  earth,  move  on  earth, 
have  their  whole  being  on  the  earth.  I  will  admit  with 
my  ministerial  adversary  that  light,  air  and  water  are 
essential  factors  in  the  creation  of  materials  used  in  the 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  75 

production  of  wealth,  but  these  would  be  useless  without 
soil.  The  first  three  are  beyond  human  power,  but  the 
owner  of  land  has  direct  control  over  all  the  energies  which 
nature  expends  in  the  formation  of  the  substance  that 
makes  the  fund  of  the  world's  wealth.  Air,  light  and 
water  would  be  abortive  agencies,  if  we  had  no  land  to  re 
ceive  their  energies.  A  learned  scientist  has  endeavored 
to  prove  that  vegetation  can  flourish  in  water,  but  he  con 
fines  his  illustration  to  one  or  two  species  which  would 
not  bear  sufficient  aliment  to  sustain  the  simplest  forms 
of  life. 

"I  will  concede  that  all  men  are  not  equal  in  mental 
calibre,  corporal  ability  and  stature,  yet  they  are  entitled 
to  the  same  opportunities.  The  strong  man  will  utilize 
his  power  to  greater  advantage  than  the  weak  man,  and 
will  leave  him  behind  in  the  race  of  life.  Yet  it  does  not 
follow  that  the  latter  must  be  disinherited  for  the  benefit 
of  the  former.  A  giant  and  a  pygmy  have  twenty  acres  of 
land  each.  The  giant,  by  his  superior  strength  expended 
on  the  soil,  will  increase  its  fertility  to  its  highest  produc 
tive  capacity,  and  his  land  will  yield  one  thousand  bushels 
of  wheat.  It  follows  that  the  giant  reaps  greater  advan 
tages  from  the  same  opportunities,  yet  I  fail  to  see  that 
the  pygmy  should  relinquish  his  right  to  his  land  in  favor 
of  one  whom  nature  has  blessed  with  superior  gifts,  or  that 
the  giant  would  be  justified  in  seizing  the  property  of  the 
dwarf.  Yet  this  is  the  legitimate  conclusion  from  Mr. 
Nicholson's  premises. 

"I  have  spoken  of  the  productive  power  of  machinery, 
and  the  decrease  in  the  demand  of  labor  following  from 
the  consolidation  of  vast  industries  into  mighty  corpora 
tions  that  control  the  supply  of  the  nation.  The  competi 
tion  of  laborers  is  daily  waxing  fiercer.  If  the  wage- 
earners  apply  to  the  landlord,  they  must  accept  his  con 
ditions  and  hence  they  are  sailing  between  Scylla  and 
Charybdis.  The  Single  Tax  would  open  a  new  field  of 
labor,  and  would  immediately  draw  the  excessive  popula 
tion  from  factories,  and  according  to  the  law  of  supply 
and  demand,  laborers  could  exact  as  much  wages  as  they 
could  earn  in  cultivating  the  soil.  I  believe  in  the  Single 
Tax  (i)  because  it  recognizes  the  fact  that  all  men  have 


76  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

a  right  to  life  and  person,  and  it  gives  all  men  equal  op 
portunities  of  exercising  these  rights,  and  deprives  no  one 
of  the  use  of  God's  gifts ;  (2)  because  it  gives  to  every 
man  the  complete  ownership  of  the  products  of  his  toil, 
removes  from  labor  all  restrictions  and  thus  encourages 
industry ;  (3)  because  it  appropriates  the  values  created 
by  the  community  for  the  good  of  the  community;  (4) 
because  it  appropriates  values  created  by  improvements 
for  the  protection  of  improvements  ;  (5)  because  it  reduces 
the  burden  of  the  community  thirty-five  per  cent ;  (6)  be 
cause  it  is  an  escape  valve  for  labor  in  the  hands  of  capital ; 
(7)  because  it  is  the  only  correct  tax  that  can  be  levied. 
No  one  can  estimate  the  value  of  old  machinery,  factories, 
houses,  but  every  one  knows  the  value  of  land,  for  its 
value  is  established  by  the  value  of  the  surrounding  land. 

"But  I  do  not  say  that  the  Single  Tax  is  a  complete 
remedy  for  all  the  ills  of  the  age.  It  is  the  only  just 
method  of  taxation,  and  its  application  would  relieve  the 
situation  for  a  time  ;  but  society  will  not  attain  the  golden 
dreams  of  perfection  till  all  the  means  of  production  and 
distribution  are  nationalized.  The  Single  Tax  theory  is 
founded  on  competition  and  individualism,  and  in  place 
of  these  we  should  substitute  co-operation  and  collectiv 
ism. 

"Although  the  Single  Tax  would  deal  a  severe  blow  to 
the  domination  of  competitism,  yet  in  the  course  of  time 
the  scars  of  the  latter  would  be  cicatriced,  and  the  con 
scienceless  fiend  would  arise  from  the  dust  to  rule  the 
unborn  generations.  The  moneyed  kings  would  rent 
thousands,  and,  perhaps,  millions  of  acres,  which  they 
would  cultivate  with  the  very  best  machinery,  and  could 
thus  dispense  with  the  most  of  manual  labor.  To-day 
wheat  can  be  produced  on  the  large  farms  of  the  West  for 
twenty  cents  per  bushel,  whereas  it  costs  the  small  farmer 
about  forty-eight  cents  per  bushel.  Therefore,  the  large 
farmer,  renting  fifty  or  one  hundred  thousand  acres  and 
cultivating  it  with  the  latest  improvements  of  production, 
could  well  afford  to  give  the  small  agriculturist  the  wages 
the  latter  could  make  in  cultivating  his  own  land,  and,  in 
the  course  of  time,  monopoly  would  supplant  competition. 

"Again,  the  railroads  own  immense  tracts  of  land,  and 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  77 

the  imposition  of  the  Single  Tax  would  not  curb  their 
power,  for  possesing  a  monopoly  in  transportation,  they 
could  discriminate  against  their  competitors,  and  thus 
annihilate  their  profits.  If  the  government  would  impose 
a  franchise  tax  on  the  roads,  the  management  could 
charge  this  tax  to  their  patrons  in  advanced  rates,  and 
the  transportation  kings  would  be  as  omnipotent  as  the 
autocrats  of  Kurush. 

"After  the  raw  material  has  passed  into  the  hands  of 
the  merchants  and  manufacturers,  the  power  of  capital 
would  have  a  vast  field  for  the  exploitation  of  labor.  The 
profits  arising  from  the  unlimited  cultivation  of  the  soil 
would  be  so  reduced  by  unfair  competition  with  powerful 
corporations  and  syndicates,  that  many  would  abandon 
the  peaceful  life  of  the  rustic,  and  seek  employment  in 
other  fields,  and  with  the  ever-increasing  combination  of 
capital,  division  of  labor,  and  multiplication  of  mechanical 
skill,  it  would  not  be  many  decades  before  the  slavery  of 
labor  would  be  more  galling  than  the  gyves  that  manacle 
the  limbs  of  the  toilers  of  this  generation. 

"The  Single  Tax  merely  deprives  capital  of  one  club, 
which  would,  ere  long,  be  supplied  by  other  and  improved 
weapons  of  warfare  against  the  rights  and  liberty  of  the 
toiling  masses.  I  advocate  the  Single  Tax,  not  as  an  end, 
but  merely  as  a  means  to  the  nationalization  of  land.  The 
Single  Tax  is  founded  on  collectivism  in  ownership  and 
individualism  in  cultivation.  We  should  adopt  the  first, 
and  tolerate  the  second,  in  order  to  accomplish  a  third 
purpose,  which  consists  in  co-operation  in  production. 

"Should  we  demand  the  immediate  imposition  of  the 
land  tax,  or  the  confiscation  of  the  rent  for  the  community, 
we  would  meet  with  obstinate  resistance.  A  gradual  in 
crease  of  the  tax  on  land,  with  a  gradual  reduction  of 
taxes  on  improvements  and  commodities  for  use,  would 
never  be  felt  by  the  land-owners,  and  the  revolution  would 
be  so  imperceptible  that  no  one  would  suffer,  and  all 
would  be  benefited  by  the  change.  In  the  course  of  ten 
or  fifteen  years,  the  tax  would  be  equivalent  to  the  full 
rental,  and  speculation  being  totally  destroyed,  and  the 
ownership  of  land  giving  no  advantage  to  capitalists,  the 
latter  would  relinquish  their  claims,  and  the  soil  could 


78  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

be  appropriated  by  the  community,  which  could  institute 
co-operation  in  cultivation.  In  the  meantime,  while  the 
land  is  quietly  passing  into  the  hands  of  the  common 
wealth,  the  nation  could  acquire  all  the  other  means  of 
production,  and  distribution,  and  Socialism  would  be 
come  a  reality. 

''But  the  objection  will  be  advanced  that  it  is  robbery 
to  nationalize  the  products  of  labor.  The  individual 
should  own  all  the  wealth  that  he  has  created,  but  should 
not  invade  the  rights  of  others.  We  have  seen  that  it  is 
society  that  creates  land  values,  and  that  is  one  of  the 
reasons  advanced  for  the  nationalization  of  land.  The  in- 
diivdual  living  apart  from  society,  in  the  wilds  of  the 
Orient,  or  in  the  jungles  of  the  Occident,  could  never 
accumulate  more  than  the  barest  competence,  and,  in 
many  cases,  he  would  be  fortunate  in  securing  the  neces 
sary  means  of  subsistence.  Why  is  it  that  the  same  in 
dividual  grows  wealthy  in  a  highly  civilized  state  of  so 
ciety?  Because,  in  the  manipulation  of  trade  and  in  the 
complication  of  industry,  he  silently  appropriates  the 
wealth  created  by  society. 

''An  isolated  individual,  having  no  one  to  fleece,  and 
deprived  of  human  co-operation,  would  not  make  more 
than  the  equivalent  of  ten  cents  per  day,  whereas  now  his 
labor  creates  ten  dollars  of  wealth  in  the  same  time.  The 
ten  cents  is  due  to  his  individual  efforts,  and  nine  dollars 
and  ninety  cents  is  the  wealth  produced  by  society  as  a 
whole.  Hence,  in  every  creation  of  wealth,  there  are  two 
distinct  factors,  the  individual  and  society,  and  there 
should  be  two  distinct  portions,  one  going  to  the  mem 
ber  and  the  other  to  the  collective  membership.  The 
progress  of  the  ages  is  the  accumulated  wealth  of  society. 
The  artist  borrows  his  ideas  from  his  contemporaries,  and 
they  have  appropriated  the  knowledge  of  their  ancestors, 
and  thus  we  inherit  the  gifts  of  those  whose  bones  have 
returned  to  dust,  and  whose  names  have  faded  from  the 
memory  of  living  generations.  The  inventor  gets  an  idea 
from  one  piece  of  machinery,  and  adds  this  to  the  sum  of 
knowledge  he  has  acquired  from  other  sources,  and 
unitin-g  these  isolated  notions,  he  adapts  them  to  new 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  79 

formations,  and  the  result  is  a  new  invention  and  an  ad 
vance  in  mechanical  skill. 

"These  various  ideas  are  the  products  of  society,  and 
the  latter,  after  remunerating  the  individual  effort,  should 
appropriate  the  new  invention,  and  use  it  for  the  benefit 
of  mankind.  Authors  and  scholars,  statesmen  and  phil 
osophers,  owe  their  acquirements  to  society.  All  the 
works  of  civilization  in  the  history  of  the  world  have  been 
produced  by  society,  and  we  can  truthfully  say  that  the 
complete  destruction  of  co-operation  would  reduce  man 
kind  to  a  state  of  savagery. 

"Our  great  industries  are  conducted  on  socialistic 
principles.  A  number  of  men  come  together  and  form  a 
plan  for  the  construction  of  a  railroad.  Every  yard  of 
earth  that  is  cast  into  the  valley,  every  cut  that  is  made 
through  the  hills,  every  tunnel  that  is  bored  through  the 
ribs  of  the  mountains,  every  rock  that  is  removed  by  the 
blast,  every  rivulet  and  stream  that  is  spanned  by  a  bridge, 
every  tie  and  every  rail,  every  pound  of  freight  that  is  re 
moved  from  place  to  place,  every  passenger  that  is  con 
veyed  from  city  to  city,  every  stroke  of  work  accom 
plished  and  every  effort  made  in  the  building  and  equip 
ment  and  running  of  that  road,  is  an  exemplification  of 
co-operation. 

"Our  trusts  are  conducted  on  socialistic  principles. 
Socialism  is  civilization,  and  competition  is  barbarism. 
Society,  therefore,  should  own  all  the  means  of  production 
and  distribution,  for  these  are  the  creations  of  society. 

"But  how  should  this  be  accomplished?  Shall  the 
State  nationalize  its  wealth  by  confiscation  or  by  pur 
chase  ?  In  justice  to.  the  toiling  millions  who  have  made 
the  wealth,  in  justice  to  society  which  has  bequeathed  the 
science  of  past  ages,  and  which  has  directed  our  great  in 
dustries,  the  State  should  resort  to  confiscation.  How 
ever,  I  would  not  advocate  that  method,  for  there  are  cases 
where  the  consequences  would  be  disastrous,  and  a  sud 
den  revolution  of  that  nature  would  possibly  deluge  the 
nation  in  human  gore,  and  therefore  I  would  suggest  the 
gradual  absorption  of  the  national  wealth  by  purchase, 
which  I  will  explain  in  the  near  future. 

"Hoping  that  Aaron  Nicholson  will  study  the  question 


80  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

more  seriously  before  attempting  to  ventilate  his  views  on 
the  justice  of  the  Single  Tax,  I  am  yours,  etc., 

"ISAAC  GILHOOLEY." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

When  Mr.  Gilhooley's  surrejoinder  was  read  by  the 
professors  of  the  University,  it  was  decided  to  expel  the 
youthful  Achilles,  whose  sword  had  pierced  the  armor  of 
Hector,  and  had  been  crimsoned  with  the  blood  of  the 
Trojan  hero.  The  Church  blushed  for  the  humiliation  of 
her  servant.  The  students  of  the  University  were  sum 
moned  to  the  study  hall,  and  the  rector  thus  addressed 
them  on  the  perils  of  adolescent  genius : 

"My  dear  young  men,"  he  said,  "this  community,  and, 
perhaps,  this  State  and  Nation,  has  been  scandalized  by 
the  arrogant  assumption  and  heterodox  teachings  of  one 
who  has  been  a  protege  of  this  venerable  institution.  The 
halls  of  this  University  have  been  consecrated  by  the  wis 
dom  and  learning  of  the  land,  hallowed  as  the  Mecca 
where  talent  has  made  its  annual  pilgrimage,  where  art 
has  been  enshrined,  where  the  light  of  science  has  been 
fed  by  the  flame  of  the  vestal  virgins.  The  halls  of  this 
institution  have  been  enriched  by  every  charm,  adorned 
with  every  grace,  and  blessed  with  the  sweetest  memories. 
This  seat  of  learning  has  been  immortalized  by  the  deeds 
of  her  brilliant  sons,  who  became  famous  in  peace  and  in 
war,  who  defended  their  country's  honor  in  the  national 
forum,  and  the  glory  of  her  flag  in  the  field  of  carnage, 
and  who  have  vied  with  the  Grecian  Muse  in  the  temple 
of  song.  Their  verses  have  charmed,  like  Orpheus,  of 
mythological  traditions,  rocks  and  trees  and  woods  and 
streams  ;  their  eloquence  has  enchanted  ruthless  mobs  and 
thrilled  listless  throngs,  and  transformed  sober  men  into 
surging  masses.  This  University,  sacred  to  the  memory 
of  the  nation's  millions,  consecrated  by  the  valor  of  a  thou 
sand  heroes,  immortalized  by  the  genius  of  every  profes- 


BEYOND  THE   BLACK   OCEAN  8l 

sion,  has  been  tarnished  by  the  breath  of  a  traitor,  and 
desecrated  by  the  shadow  of  a  heretic. 

"Mr.  Isaac  Gilhooley  has  promulgated  doctrines  that 
are  subversive  of  government  and  religion.  His  ideas  are 
in  conflict  with  the  Federal  Constitution,  which  has  been 
purchased  at  the  cost  of  years  of  suffering  and  rivers  of 
blood.  That  document,  formed  by  the  wisdom  of  our  an 
cestors,  secured  the  right  of  property  to  every  individual, 
and  this  youthful  anarchist  fulminates  against  the  validity 
of  personal  ownership.  He  would  deprive  every  citizen 
of  a  home.  He  would  go  back  to  the  savage  state,  when 
men  wandered  through  the  solitudes  of  the  forest,  lived 
in  trees  and  caves  and  clothed  themselves  with  the  skins 
of  wild  animals.  He  would  demolish  our  national  capital, 
burn  the  legislative  halls,  abolish  representatives  and  gov 
ernors,  banish  the  amenities  of  society,  destroy  all  rights 
enjoyed  by  civilized  people,  and  institute  the  reign  of 
mobocracy  and  the  triumph  of  fire  and  blood.  What  will 
the  thoughtless,  ignorant  millions  do  when  they  read  his 
teachings  ?  Will  they  not  grow  restless  under  the  burden 
of  their  daily  toil,  and  meditate  the  dethronement  of  the 
law,  the  inauguration  of  brute  force,  the  banishment  of 
intelligence  from  the  helm  of  the  nation,  and  the  govern 
mental  supremacy  of  the  proletaire? 

"It  was  the  doctrine  of  such  men  as  Mr.  Gilhooley  that 
eventuated  in  the  breaking  of  the  Simeonic  sceptre,  the  fall 
of  the  diadem  from  the  kingly  brow,  the  decapitation  of 
Benjamin  the  Sixteenth,  the  assassination  of  his  royal 
consort,  the  destruction  of  the  throne,  the  triumph  of  the 
Directory,  the  desecration  of  the  Star  Chamber,  the  sweep 
of  violent  passions  ignited  in  the  breasts  of  the  rabble,  and 
the  institution  of  an  epoch  in  New  Israel  which  shall  be 
known  to  all  generations  as  the  Reign  of  Terror. 

"We  do  not  wish  to  see  our  fair  and  beautiful  country 
shorn  of  every  fruit  of  civilization  by  a  cyclone  of  fury. 
We  do  not  wish  to  see  Mars  encircled  with  a  belt  of  fire, 
and  to  hear  the  rattle  of  his  flaming  car  echoing  among 
our  hills  and  along  our  streams  and  through  our  dells  and 
dales,  mountain  glens  and  shady  vales. 

"Moreover,  the  doctrine  advocated  by  Mr.  Gilhooley 
is  repugnant  to  common  sense.  Every  man  in  this  realm 


82  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

is  a  proprietor  of  land,  at  least  the  land  upon  which  his 
residence  stands.  If  he  does  not  at  present  own  his  home, 
it  is  his  desire  to  be  able,  at  some  future  time,  to  rest  under 
the  shadow  of  his  own  roof-tree.  No  man  wishes  to  be  the 
tenant  of  the  State.  In  his  last  communication,  Mr.  Gil- 
hooley  goes  a  step  farther,  and  attacks  the  right  of  prop 
erty  in  every  form,  saying  that  all  wealth  is  the  product  of 
society.  This  doctrine  would  lead  to  the  very  worst  des 
potism.  It  would  give  the  government  unlimited  power. 
It  would  result  in  the  establishment  of  a  kingdom,  and  the 
rod  of  an  absolute  monarch  would  ere  long  be  used  against 
the  freedom  of  the  nation,  and  the  millions  of  Toadians 
would  crouch  at  the  throne  and  lick  the  feet  of  their  mas 
ter. 

'There  is  a  penchant  in  the  human  heart  to  accumulate 
wealth,  to  own  some  property,  and  the  visions  of  millen- 
arians  will  not  conquer  that  innate  aspiration.  The  poorest 
tramp  that  begs  for  bread  at  your  door,  would  rebel 
against  the  tenets  of  these  anarchists  who  would  deprive 
him  of  the  barest  possibility  of  ever  acquiring  a  foot  of 
soil  that  he  could  call  his  own.  The  mendicant  of  to-day 
may  be  the  capitalist  of  future  decades.  The  ambition  of 
man  is  to  ameliorate  his  condition,  elevate  himself  and  his 
family  in  the  social  scale.  The  operative  is  contented  with 
his  toil,  for  he  looks  forward  to  the  remuneration  that  will 
enable  him  to  establish  an  industry  and  become  a  pro 
prietor.  Eradicate  this  ambition  and  you  preclude  the 
possibility  of  transition  from  the  lower  to  the  higher  ranks, 
build  a  Chinese  wall  around  man's  social  status,  establish 
the  Oriental  caste,  forbidding  the  artisan  to  become  a 
merchant,  confining  the  rustic  toiler  to  the  life-long 
drudgery  of  the  field  and  the  furrow,  closing  the  door  of 
the  parlor  against  the  face  of  the  scullion,  placing  the  em 
bargo  on  the  domestic,  filling  the  professional  ranks  with 
none  but  the  children  of  grandees. 

"Destroy  the  ambition  of  gaining  social  prominence, 
intellectual  distinction  and  commercial  and  financial  im 
portance  ;  extinguish  the  power  of  accumulated  wealth, 
and  you  paralyze  the  motive  nerves  of  national  pros 
perity,  stop  the  wheel  of  fortune,  stem  the  march  of  prog 
ress,  dwarf  the  genius  of  invention,  sterilize  mental  vigor, 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  83 

stifle  intellectual  development,  quench  the  flame  of  science, 
impair  physical  strength,  cultivate  the  germs  of  moral  in 
fection,  encourage  the  growth  of  bestial  passions,  and  fill 
the  land  with  poverty,  misery  and  crime. 

'The  right  of  private  property  has  not  only  been  sanc 
tioned  by  the  traditions  of  all  times,  the  customs  of  all 
peoples  and  the  legislative  enactments  of  all  nations,  but  it 
is  supported  and  legalized  by  the  authority  of  the  Church 
and  the  voice  of  God.  The  commandment  promulgated 
three  thousand  years  ago  on  the  flame-lit  summit  of  the 
Holy  Mount  says  that  'thou  shalt  not  steal/  and  when  the 
government  appropriates  the  wealth  created  by  human 
effort,  that  government  violates  the  ordinances  of  the 
Most  High.  It  is  one  of  the  sins  crying  to  Heaven  for 
vengeance.  It  is  a  crime  that  shall  not  be  forgiven  either 
in  this  world  or  in  the  world  to  come,  for  it  is  defrauding 
the  laborer  of  his  hire. 

"The  poor  man  has  struggled  for  a  quarter  of  a  cen 
tury,  through  the  chilly  blast  of  winter  and  under  the 
scorching  rays  of  summer,  from  the  early  dawn  until  the 
shadows  of  night  wrapped  the  world  in  slumber.  He 
spends  the  few  thousand  dollars,  the  result  of  his  sweat 
and  toil,  the  sum  total  of  his  life's  labor,  and  he  purchases 
a  farm  of  land  which  he  calls  his  own.  The  Single  Tax 
theory  is  legalized  in  legislative  action,  and  goes  into  op 
eration.  The  farmer  loses  his  home,  and  is  forced  in  his 
declining  years  to  seek  the  assistance  of  the  cold,  heartless 
world.  Is  that  not  robbery?  Yea,  it  is  worse  than  rob 
bery  ;  it  is  murder  of  the  deepest  dye,  and  the  man  who 
inculcates  such  detestable  opinions,  who  would  go  so  far 
as  to  legalize  such  injustice,  is  guilty  of  all  the  blood  that 
it  will  wring  from  the  hearts  of  the  millions  who  will 
perish  in  the  defense  of  their  firesides. 

"I  regret  that  Mr.  Gilhooley  has  been  misled  by  the 
vagaries  of  a  distorted  brain,  and  has  drifted  into  the  cur 
rent  of  anarchy.  He  was  the  star  of  this  institution  and 
was  destined,  by  the  judicious  application  of  his  talents, 
to  rank  with  the  highest  minds  of  the  nation.  He  would, 
had  his  genius  not  been  perverted  by  reading  dangerous 
books,  and  contemplating  wild,  chimerical  theories,  have 
woven  a  wreath  of  glory  to  crown  the  brow  of  the  nation, 


84  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

and  his  memory  would  have  been  encircled  with  the  halo 
of  immortality.  This  is  a  warning  to  aspiring  talent. 

"Young  men,  be  guided  by  the  counsel  of  aged  wis 
dom.  Great  promises  have  been  frustrated  by  hazardous 
steps,  and  lofty  hopes  have  been  wrecked  on  rocks  and 
shoals.  Many  a  ship,  laden  with  precious  gems  and  treas 
ures  of  gold,  has  gone  down  beneath  the  boisterous  waves. 
Loyalty  to  the  law  is  the  grandest  virtue  that  can  adorn 
the  soul  of  youth,  and  disloyalty  to  the  flag  is  the  blackest 
crime  that  can  stain  the  brow  of  a  citizen. 

"The  destiny  of  our  country  is  in  the  hands  of  the 
rising  generation.  Adolescence  is  redolent  of  every  charm 
and  grace,  and  juvenile  fancies  are  pregnant  with  visions 
of  future  glory.  It  is  consoling  to  behold  the  buoyant 
hopes  and  lofty  ambitions  of  our  young  men,  and  I  would 
be  loath  to  discourage  them  in  their  noble  purposes  and 
exalted  aspirations.  They  are  to  be  the  heroes  of  the  fu 
ture.  They  are  to  preserve  the  purity  of  our  government 
and  defend  the  honor  of  our  flag,  and  send  it  floating  down 
the  ages,  covered  with  the  glory  of  triumph  in  the  cause 
of  justice  and  liberty,  and  consecrated  with  the  benedic 
tion  of  a  Republic  rescued  from  the  bondage  of  despotism 
by  the  flash  of  the  sword.  They  are  to  make  the  laws  of 
our  land,  and  protect  the  weak  from  the  strong  arm  of 
injustice.  They  are  to  be  the  fathers  of  the  nation,  the 
founders  of  homes,  the  framers  of  society,  the  custodians 
of  morality  the  patrons  of  art,  the  teachers  of  science. 
Hence,  their  minds  cannot  be  too  well  prepared.  Their 
hearts  should  be  isolated  from  the  poison  that  has  already 
inoculated  society.  They  should  be  kept  in  the  atmosphere 
of  purity,  and  shun  the  withering  breath  of  vice  as  they 
would  avoid  the  deadly  germs  of  contagion,  or  the  mortal 
fangs  of  an  asp.  We  have  protected  your  unsuspecting 
simplicity,  your  child-like  innocence  of  heart,  from  the 
fatal  effects  of  anarchical  association  by  ignominiously 
expelling  that  scorpion,  Mr.  Gilhooley,  from  this  sacred 
retreat. 

"I  pity  his  widowed  mother,  who  lost  her  husband 
when  Isaac  was  an  infant.  I  pity  his  dear  old  grand 
mother,  who  is  now  in  her  dotage.  We  would  fain  con 
done  the  transgression  of  this  youth  in  reverence  to  the 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  #5 

memory  of  his  sire,  who  was  a  noble  captain  of  the  Lost 
Cause ,  but  this  hallowed  asylum  of  learning  cannot  har 
bor  revolution  within  its  walls,  or  permit  conspiracies  to 
ripen  under  the  shadow  of  its  wing.  The  offender  was 
amply  warned  of  his  misdemeanors,  and  he  cannot  allege 
ignorance  in  palliation  of  his  crime.  This  University  is 
endowed  by  the  wealthy  men  of  the  South,  and  they  will 
not  permit  their  beneficiaries  to  sully  their  honor  and  rob 
them  of  their  affluence.  If  the  patrons  of  this  institution 
should  withdraw  their  support,  our  doors  would  be  closed 
immediately.  I  hope  that  the  enemy  we  have  detected 
beneath  our  roof  has  no  confederates  or  sympathizers 
among  you." 

This  address  was  prepared  and  afterwards  published  in 
the  Standard,  to  convince  the  moneyed  aristocracy  that 
the  University  was  not  responsible  for  the  opinions  of 
Gilhooley. 

The  students  were  dismissed,  and  they  retired  to  the 
campus  to  consider  the  expulsion  of  their  associate.  Some 
were  unequivocal  in  their  expression  of  concordance  with 
the  action  of  the  faculty,  and  they  were  not  slow  in  de 
nouncing  the  temerity  of  Isaac  Gilhooley,  and  they  were 
sincere  in  their  attitude.  Some  were  jealous  of  his  su 
perior  calibre,  and  mental  attainments,  and  although  they 
could  see  no  grave  crime  in  the  defense  of  an  honest 
opinion,  even  when  wrong,  yet  they  were  glad  to  have 
an  adversary  removed,  and  actuated  by  selfish  motives, 
they  endeavored  to  conceal  their  hypocrisy  in  sanctioning 
the  course  that  had  been  pursued.  A  small  number  were 
heirs  of  wealthy  planters  of  the  South,  and  they  conjured 
up,  in  their  fervid  fancies,  the  poverty  that  would  fall  on 
their  homes  when  the  confiscation  act  would  be  passed, 
and  they  were  loud  in  their  defense  of  the  verdict  which 
excluded  their  associate  from  the  historic  institution.  A 
few  were  the  sons  of  policemen,  ward  politicians  and  sa 
loon-keepers,  and  in  their  pretensions  to  wealth  and  aris 
tocracy,  they  not  only  concurred  in  the  justice  of  the  sen 
tence,  but  deemed  it  prudent,  and  even  obligatory,  to 
hang  Isaac  Gilhooley  before  he  would  destroy  the  gov 
ernment. 

But  the  majority  of  the  students  were  very  fond  of  the 


86  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

Irish  reformer,  as  he  was  facetiously  called  by  his  com 
rades,  and  they  were  unanimous  in  stigmatizing  the  ex 
pulsion  of  their  classmate  as  an  act  of  contemptible  cow 
ardice,  prompted  altogether  by  consideration  of  public 
opinion  which  they  did  not  have  the  moral  courage  to  con'- 
front.  Abraham  McGillicuddy  declared  that  the  faculty 
were  truckling  to  the  money  power  behind  the  University. 
Nicholas  Hellenmeyer  said  that  the  professors  were  afraid 
that  they  would  lose  their  positions,  and  sacrificed  a  noble 
young  man,  fighting  the  battle  of  freedom,  on  the  altar  of 
their  selfish  ambition. 

Many  of  the  students  drew  up  a  petition  against  the 
dastardly  conduct  of  the  University  corps,  and  threatened 
to  withdraw  from  the  University  unless  Isaac  were  im 
mediately  recalled.  This  document  was  read  to  the  faculty 
by  Abraham  McGillicuddy  with  an  emphasis  which  clearly 
indicated  his  determination.  The  rector  exculpated  the 
students  from  any  intentional  malice,  but  claimed  that  it 
was  criminal  to  support  the  views  of  an  anarchist.  To 
this  speech  McGillicuddy  replied  with  real  Irish  elo 
quence  : 

"I  consider  you  a  criminal  in  condemning  the  honest 
convictions  of  a  man  who  has  made  a  thorough  study  of 
the  labor  question.  If  you  had  read,  with  an  unbiased 
mind,  the  works  that  have  engaged  the  attention  of  Isaac 
Gilhooley,  in  your  heart  you  would  agree  with  him.  I 
say  you  would  agree  with  him  in  your  heart,  but,  like  a 
brazen-faced  hypocrite  as  you  are,  your  lips  would  belie 
your  opinion,  and  to  pander  to  the  sentiments  of  land 
kings  and  railroad  magnates,  you  would  swear  that  black 
is  white  and  that  night  is  day.  I  would  not  disgrace  my 
self  by  associating  with  the  professors  of  this  institution. 
I  would  not  imperil  my  moral  character  by  lingering 
under  the  same  roof  with  a  viper  like  you !" 

Saying  this,  Mr.  McGillicuddy  ordered  his  trunk  to  be 
sent  to  the  Emerald  Hotel,  and  he  immediately  left  the 
grounds.  The  other  students  abandoned  their  bellicose 
attitude  and  dispersed,  talking  among  themselves  over 
the  events  of  the  day,  and  voicing  their  different  opinions 
in  all  forms  of  speech,  ranging  from1  the  nicely  couched 
expressions  of  the  diplomat  to  the  tempestuous  burst  of 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  87 

eloquence,  and  bombastic  phraseology  of  nervous  tem 
peraments  and  passionate  natures. 

McGillicuddy  was  not  long  in  locating  Gilhooley,  and 
the  two  reformers  made  arrangements  for  their  warfare 
against  the  injustice  which  held  millions  of  people  in  the 
grim  vice  of  thralldom.  They  decided  to<  abandon  the 
study  of  law,  which  they  now  regarded  as  a  profession 
which  flourished  on  human  miseries,  and  depended  solely 
for  its  existence  on  the  perpetration  of  crime. 

"If  all  men  were  just,"  they  reasoned,  "litigation  would 
be  unknown,  for  their  difficulties  originating  in  conflict 
of  claims,  could  be  adjusted  by  arbitration.  There  can 
never  be  but  one  just  claim,  for  the  justice  of  one  claim 
logically  excludes  the  justice  of  the  opposite  claim.  Now, 
lawyers,  who  assume  the  defense  of  the  unjust  claim,  nec 
essarily  criminate  the  innocent  and  exculpate  the  guilty. 
In  fact,  they  must  stifle  the  voice  of  conscience,  and  utilize 
every  means  of  destroying  the  appearance  of  truth,  that 
falsehood  may  triumph.  If  they  hesitate  to  adopt  criminal 
methods,  they  will  make  a  complete  failure  in  their  profes 
sion. 

"Besides,  this  is  an  age  pregnant  with  great  issues, 
which  will  decide  the  fate  of  civilized  nations,  and  mighty 
agencies  are  requisite  to  counteract  the  forces  now  en 
gaged  in  the  deadly  contest  against  justice  and  liberty,  and 
we  should  use  our  influence  and  capacity  to  avert  the  ter 
rible  catastrophe  that  menaces  this  government,  and  im 
perils  the  safety  of  republican  institutions." 

"I  think,  Mac,"  said  Gilhooley,  "we  should  enter  the 
field  of  journalism,  and  spend  the  resources  of  our  brain 
in  the  cause  of  humanity.  Let  us  establish  a  reform  paper 
where  we  will  be  at  liberty  to  discuss  these  questions,  and 
bring  them  before  the  world  in  their  true  color.  Let  us 
expose  the  false  positions  of  labor  and  capital,  exalt  the 
one  and  dethrone  the  other.  Let  us  stir  up  the  sleeping 
millions  to  a  sense  of  duty,  and  the  terrible  realities  that 
confront  them." 

"I  think,"  said  McGillicuddy,  "that  your  plan  is  ad 
mirable.  We  speak  of  the  liberty  of  the  press  in  this  coun 
try,  but  the  word  is  only  a  high-sounding  phrase  of  rhetor 
ical  skill  employed  to  dupe  the  unwary." 


88  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

"Liberty  of  the  press  !"  exclaimed  Isaac,  with  a  mock 
ing  laugh.  "Do  you  know,"  he  continued,  "that  many 
subscribers  have  informed  the  Ledger  to  drop  their  names 
from  the  list  since  the  appearance  of  my  paper  in  its  col 
umns'?" 

"Is  that  possible !"  cried  his  hearer. 

"Yes,"  replied  Isaac.  "The  editor,  this  forenoon, 
showed  me  some  of  the  communications  that  have  come 
to  his  office,  and  really  their  language  would  be  repudi 
ated  by  the  more  respectable  fishmongers  of  Billingsate 
Street.  A  flood  of  vituperation  that  would  do  no  honor  to 
the  lowest  member  of  the  canaille." 

"What  reasons  do  the  authors  of  those  communica 
tions  assign  for  such  abuse?" 

"Well,  I  took  a  copy  of  one  of  the  letters,  written  by 
Elisha  Wonterman,  a  distiller,  who  resides  on  Mulberry 
Street,  and  it  is  a  fair  sample  of  the  rest,"  replied  Isaac. 
"I  will  read  it." 

"  'Editor  of  the  Ledger  : — Since  you  have  opened  your 
columns  to  the  anarchistic  element  of  this  country,  and 
allow  the  dirty  whelps  to  abuse  decent  people,  and  call 
them  murderers  and  hypocrites  and  scoundrels,  because 
they  save  their  money,  I  must  withdraw  my  patronage. 
I  could  not  allow  my  advertisement  to  appear  in  your  hell 
ish  journal,  which  is  disseminating  contagion  through 
out  the  land.  Wre  are  the  owners  of  this  country,  and  we 
wlil  please  ourselves,  and  will  not  consult  you  and  your 
miserable  crew  of  pickpockets  and  burglars  and  midnight 
assassins.  If  you  intend  to  continue  the  course  you  have 
begun,  I  would  advise  you  to  take  your  dirty  carcass  out 
of  this  city  as  early  as  possible.  The  law-abiding  element 
of  this  community  will  take  you  from  your  bed  some  night 
and  lash  your  naked  back  just  as  we  used  to  punish  our 
dusky  slaves. 

"  'Yours, 

"  'Elisha  Wonterman.' ' 

Isaac  and  Abraham  went  to  Mrs.  Gilhooley  to  get  her 
advice  and  support.  The  noble  little  matron  admired  the 
courage  of  the  young  men,  and  approved  of  their  plan. 
She  offered  to  advance  the  little  money  at  her  disposal  to 
further  the  enterprise,  Abraham  said  that  he  would  visit 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  89 

his  father,  who  lived  in  Baron,  explain  the  cause  of  his  de 
parture  from  college,  his  determination  to  adopt  journal 
ism  as  a  profession  instead  of  the  law,  and  perhaps  could 
secure  the  influence  and  assistance  of  the  elder  McGilli- 
cuddy. 

Isaac  remarked  that  the  suggestion1  was  very  appro 
priate  and  advised  Abraham  to  leave  immediately.  Mc 
Gillicuddy  was  not  slow  in  making  preparations  for  the 
journey,  and  was  in  ample  time  to  get  the  fast-flyer  which 
left  early  in  the  afternoon. 

On  arriving  at  Baron,  he  went  directly  to  his  father's 
home.  Mr.  McGillicuddy  was  rather  surprised  to  see  his 
son,  but  was  more  than  pleased  when  he  learned  the  cause 
of  his  expulsion  (if  I  might  call  it  such,  for  he  had  de 
feated  the  sentence  by  leaving  voluntarily),  and  the  nature 
of  his  mission. 

"Ah,  my  boy !  there  is  good  old  fighting  Irish  stock  in 
you.  The  MacGillicuddy  reeks  of  Ireland  were  not  named 
after  the  founder  of  our  house  without  a  reasons.  Two 
generations  of  intermarriage  with  the  children  of  Abra 
ham  have  not  obliterated  our  national  and  family  traits. 
Patrick  McGillicuddy,  of  Donomore  fame,  would  never 
see  an  injustice  perpetrated  without  raising  a  hand  in  de 
fense  of  the  outraged  party,  and  I  am  proud  to  see  that 
same  noble  characteristic  in  his  descendant  at  this  remote 
day.  Yes,  I  will  furnish  you  with  money  to  establish  a 
reform  journal,  and  I  hope  your  pen  will  scathe  every 
pharisee  in  the  realm." 

Abraham  thanked  his  father  for  his  approval  and  as 
sistance,  and  after  a  few  days  spent  in  the  old  home,  he  re 
turned  to  Meron  to  confer  with  his  friend  Isaac.  Gil- 
hooley  was  delighted  to  learn  of  the  success  that  crowned 
his  mission. 

In  the  meantime  the  news  of  their  expulsion  from  the 
college  was  spread  far  and  wide,  and  the  two  young  he 
roes  were  the  recipients  of  very  encouraging  letters  from 
champions  of  truth  and  justice  throughout  the  nation. 
The  labor  organizations  of  Deboreh  held  an  enthusiastic 
meeting,  and  it  was  unanimously  agreed  to  send  the  stu 
dents  letters  of  sympathy,  and  at  the  same  time  to  solicit 
them  to  continue  the  crusade,  with  the  promise  of  every 


90  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

support  in  their  power.  Isaac  and  Abraham  thought  that 
Deboreh  would  be  the  most  desirable  place  to  locate  their 
enterprise,  as  it  would  at  once  introduce  them  to  thou 
sands  of  readers,  and  bring  them  into  immediate  promi 
nence. 

So,  getting  the  approval  of  friends  anxious  for  their 
welfare,  they  departed  the  first  day  of  January,  1855,  for 
the  metropolis  of  the  New  World.  They  were  just  enter 
ing  on  manhood,  Isaac  having  celebrated  his  twentieth 
birthday  three  months  before,  and  Abraham  was  twenty- 
one  the  following  March. 

They  decided  to  call  their  journal  "The  Flaming 
Sword,"  for  they  intended  to  wield  it  unsparingly  against 
the  foes  of  human  right  and  liberty,  without  regard  to  age 
or  rank,  social  etiquette  or  legal  injunctions.  The  first  is 
sue  of  the  paper  contained  a  history  of  the  difficulty  at 
the  University,  in  which  the  professors,  especially  the  rec 
tor,  were  scored  without  mercy,  and  represented  as 
toadies  and  sneaks,  who  never  expressed  an  honest  opin 
ion  in  their  lives,  whose  hypocrisy  would  make  the  de 
mons  blush,  who  constantly  prostituted  their  talents  in 
the  service  of  duplicity,  and  sacrificed  principle  and  truth 
to  attain  their  selfish  ends. 

"You  will  never  have  a  loyal,  liberty-loving,  law-abid- 
ng  citizenship,  until  you  have  purified  the  seats  of  learning 
from  the  pestiferous  breath  of  scorpions.  The  Meron 
University  is  a  cloaca  of  corruption.  The  white-faced 
guardians  of  youthful  innocence  speak  of  God  and  the 
prophets,  of  prayer  and  sacrifice,  when  they  do  not  believe 
there  is  a  Supreme  Being.  If  they  had  the  faintest  spark 
of  faith,  they  could  never  burden  their  conscience  with  the 
responsibility  of  propagating  falsehood  and  corrupting 
the  heart  of  innocence  with  the  virus  of  hypocrisy.  We 
want  truthful,  sincere  men,  not  liars  and  dissemblers, 
sycophants  and  equivocators." 

In  the  same  issue  there  was  an  account  of  the  great 
strike  in  Kidron,  and  the  participation  of  the  Federal  au 
thorities  in  squelching  the  riots.  "We  cannot/'  wrote 
Gilhooley,  "sanction  bloodshed,  and  we  condemn  mob- 
rule,  whether  the  perpetrators  be  our  friends  or  our  ene 
mies.  But  at  the  same  time,  there  are  many  extenuating 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  9! 

circumstances  in  this  case.  The  employes  went  on  a 
strike  because  they  could  not  possibly  live  on  the  wages 
they  were  receiving  from  the  railroad  company.  Perhaps 
the  company  was  not  in  a  position  to  pay  more,  since  the 
management  is  compelled  to  pay  eight  per  cent  interest 
on  stock  watered  about  four  times  its  real  value,  and  while 
they  are  in  the  stealing  business,  it  is  not  expected  that 
they  would  show  any  partiality  to  their  helpless  victims. 
Let  the  railroads  capitalize  their  stock  at  cost,  declare  six 
per  cent  dividends,  and  the  wages  of  the  employes  will  be 
increased  three  hundred  per  cent. 

"The  government  that  will  tolerate  powerful  corpora 
tions  to  suck  the  life-blood  from  the  veins  of  the  wealth- 
producers,  is  guilty  of  all  the  murders  actuated  by  desper 
ation,  all  the  thefts  that  are  perpetrated,  all  the  crimes  that 
are  committed,  all  the  misery,  sorrow,  sickness  and  death, 
that  follow  the  wake  of  poverty.  If  the  wage-earners  re 
ceive  their  portion  of  the  wealth  created  by  labor,  there 
would  not  be  a  pauper  in  the  land,  there  would  not  be  a 
ragged  child,  a  hovel  or  a  hut,  there  would  not  be  a  pang 
of  grief  arising  from  want  or  privation,  there  would  not 
be  a  prison,  a  workhouse  or  a  jail,  for  there  would  not  be 
a  criminal  in  the  Republic.  It  is  something  worthy  of  re 
flection  that  the  dividends  of  great  corporations  increase 
in  magnitude  just  in  proportion  to  the  diminution  of 
wages  paid  to  the  laboring  classes  who  work  for  these 
gigantic  concerns. 

"Elias  Forsemer,  the  great  political  economist,  de 
nouncing  the  aristocracy  of  New  Israel,  makes  a  sad  com 
ment  on  Toadian  legislation,  when  he  claims  that  this 
country  suffers  more  from  the  monopolists  than  Dan  from 
her  titled  nobility ;  and  as  an  antidote  to  the  ever-increas 
ing  ills  with  which  the  vast  corporations  afflict  our  land, 
he  suggests  that  the  government  compromise  with  these 
mighty  magnates,  and  create  dukedoms  for  them  on  the 
condition  that  they  do  not  molest  the  peace  of  the  millions 
by  their  cruel  usurpations.  It  would  be  far  better  to  have 
the  Duke  of  Deboreh,  the  Earl  of  Engeddi  and  the  Baron 
of  Lidda,  than  the  pestiferous  monopolists,  who,  under 
the  name  of  legitimate  business,  fill  their  maws  with  the 
blood  of  the  toiling  masses.  If  we  could  reward  our  mill- 


92  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

ionaires  with  titles,  they  would  not  be  necessitated  to  steal 
a  much  larger  fortune  in  order  to  purchase  the  privilege 
of  cleaning  the  cuspidores  of  Danish  Lords ;  and  that  is 
the  real  position  of  our  Toadian  nobles,  who  acquire  the 
right  of  sitting  under  the  wing  of  aristocracy,  by  exchang 
ing  their  gold  for  an  empty  title. 

"And  what  is  the  condition  of  Toadian  politics  ?  The 
maloder  of  its  putridity  nauseates  every  honest  man  in 
the  Republic.  Every  party  is  inoculated  with  the  virus  of 
political  corruption.  The  disclosures  that  have  been 
made  in  Deboreh  are  startling.  The  history  of  politics  in 
the  Metropolis  of  the  Empire  State  is  but  the  history  of 
every  municipal  government  in  the  country.  Bribery  is 
the  order  of  the  day,  and  every  public  official  has  his  price. 
It  is  not  surprising  that  four  thousand  millionaires  have 
been  created  in  this  country  in  the  last  quarter  of  a  cen 
tury. 

"Where  is  Toadian  patriotism  ?  A  man  that  will  sell 
his  honor,  his  word,  his  vote  for  petty  pelf,  will  barter  his 
country's  honor  in  the  hour  of  her  deepest  peril.  Toadia 
is  ruled  by  the  money  power,  and  the  millionaires  of  this 
country  despise  the  land  of  their  birth  because  of  the  un- 
congeniality  of  its  soil  to  the  growth  of  aristocracy.  Hav 
ing  murdered  and  robbed  until  their  coffers  are  swelled 
with  the  fruit  of  their  dishonesty,  they  go  to-  Dan  to  seek 
husbands  and  wives  for  their  daughters  and  sons.  A 
Toadian  belle  of  wealth  and  promise  would  give  her  heart 
and  hand  to  a  titled  vagrant  rather  than  obscure  the 
splendor  of  her  life  in  conjugal  union  with  the  noblest  son 
of  the  nation.  There  should  be  a  law  enacted  forbidding 
such  marriages  under  penalty  of  confiscation  of  all  prop 
erty  possessed  in  this  country  by  the  delinquents,  and 
perpetual  ostracism  from  these  snores,  with  the  further 
penalty  of  being  suspended  from  the  first  lamp-post  in 
case  the  slightest  attempt  were  ever  made  to  return." 

When  the  first  issue  of  the  paper  came  from  the  press, 
the  newsboys  in  every  part  of  the  city  were  attracting  the 
attention  of  all  classes  of  people.  They  vociferated: 
"Here's  The  Flaming  Sword !'  All  about  McGillicuddy 
and  Gilhooley  !  Here's  The  Flaming  Sword  !'  All  about 
the  professors  at  the  Meron  University  and  the  Kidron 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  93 

strike!  All  about  the  murder  of  railroad  men  and  the 
Danish  lords !''  Men,  women  and  children  eagerly  pur 
chased  the  paper.  Orders  for  another  issue  came  in  rap 
idly,  and  before  night  ten  thousand  copies  had  been  sold. 

The  daily  papers  scored  the  two  young  editors.  The 
railroad  kings  of  the  nation  were  interviewed,  and  they 
were  unanimous  in  their  denunciation  of  the  reform  paper, 
and  said  that  the  law-abiding  citizens  of  Deboreh  should 
drive  Gilhooley  and  his  friend  from  the  city.  Others  said 
the  authorities  should  prohibit  such  incendiary  publica 
tions. 

The  next  week  every  one  was  looking  for  racy  develop 
ments  in  "The  Flaming  Sword,"  and  more  than  thirty 
thousand  copies  were  sold.  The  reputation  of  the  journal 
was  established,  and  the  fortunes  of  Gilhooley  and  Mc- 
Gillicuddy  were  made.  Every  issue  of  the  paper  became 
more  interesting.  Disclosures  of  a  startling  nature  were 
published  week  after  week.  The  laboring  element  sang 
the  praises  of  the  editors  in  their  council  rooms,  honest 
citizens  indorsed  the  methods  of  the  reformers,  and  lent 
their  patronage  to  the  movement.  The  local  journals, 
especially  those  of  the  conservative  type,  found  that  they 
could  not  condemn  'The  Flaming  Sword"  at  the  bar  of 
public  sentiment,  and  accomplished  a  triumph  for  the 
plutocratic  lords. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Late  in  the  month  of  February  there  was  a  levee  at  the 
palatial  home  of  Patrick  Einstein,  at  which  the  culture  of 
Deboreh  was  represented.  Mr.  Einstein  was  an  influential 
merchant,  who  had  inherited  quite  a  fortune,  and  having 
made  lucrative,  yet  honest,  investments,  he  was  now 
ranked  among  the  opulent  men  of  Deboreh.  But  he  was 
better  known  for  his  noble  qualities  of  head  and  heart. 
Educated  in  the  Layman  University,  he  had  pursued  let 
ters  during  his  life  of  comparative  leisure,  and  had  always 


<M  BEYOND  THE  BLACK.  OCEAN 

cultivated  the  friendship  of  professional  men.  He  was 
liberal  in  his  views,  a  foe  to  bigotry  or  prejudice  of  any 
nature,  spent  his  money  liberally,  yet  usefully,  was  char 
itable  to  the  poor,  independent  in  thought,  a  man  of  ver 
satility  and  originality. 

He  had  admired  the  attitude  of  the  young  reformers, 
subscribed  for  their  paper,  formed  their  acquaintance,  and 
encouraged  them  by  his  approval  of  their  methods.  Mr. 
Einstein  recognized  the  evils  of  the  age,  and  he  regarded 
Socialism  as  the  only  antidote.  Hence  on  this  occasion 
he  invited  Gilhooley  and  McGillicuddy  to  the  assembly. 
His  daughters,  Misses  Biddy  and  Mary  Ann  Einstein, 
were  also  readers  of  "The  Flaming  Sword,"  and  ardent 
admirers  of  its  spirit,  and  the  courage  and  independence 
of  the  editors,  and  it  was  their  desire  to  meet  Gilhooley 
and  his  friend ;  and  this  is  another  reason  why  Mr.  Ein 
stein  had  extended  them  an  invitation.  Besides  Teddy 
Einstein,  the  only  son  of  the  family,  was  an  intimate  friend 
of  the  reformers,  and  had  often  spent  evenings  in  their 
office,  talking  over  the  burning  questions  of  the  times. 

About  eight  o'clock  the  guests  began  to  assemble,  and 
before  nine  the  drawing-rooms  were  full.  Two  beardless 
young  men  had  entered.  One  was  a  tall  brunette  about 
six  feet  in  height,  rather  slender,  but  yet  not  lank.  The 
other  was  of  the  blonde  type,  slightly  above  five  feet  ten 
inches,  but  stouter  than  his  companion.  Determination 
marked  every  feature  in  the  visage  of  the  former,  and 
strong  intellectual  vigor  was  mirrored  in  his  deep,  bril 
liant  black  eyes. 

The  other  young  man  was  equally  handsome,  and 
while  his  facial  expression  was  not  so  decided,  yet  when  he 
spoke  the  most  superficial  observer  could  discover  his 
mental  acumen  and  the  courage  and  strength  of  his  char 
acter.  The  other  guests  were  attracted  by  the  appearance 
of  the  two  young  men. 

"Who  are  those  gentlemen  conversing  with  Miss  Biddy 
and  her  sister  ?"  asked  an  elderly  matron  of  those  around 
her. 

"The  tall  brunette  is  Mr.  Gilhooley,  and  the  blonde  is 
his  associate  editor,  Abraham  McGillicuddy." 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  9$ 

"Ah !  those  are  the  famous  journalists  who  publish 
The  Flaming  Sword  ?'  Why,  they  are  mere  boys." 

"  Yes,  neither  is  twenty-one  years  of  age." 

"So  youthful  and  yet  bold  enough  to  attack  our  time- 
honored  institutions !" 

"Why  it  is  supposed  that  they  wish  to  abolish  all  law, 
and  give  the  passions  of  the  rabble  boundless  freedom." 

"What  a  pity  to  see  such  talents  perverted  !  How  they 
could  adorn  society !  They  seem  to  be  so  polished,  and 
besides  they  have  had  the  advantages  of  a  university  edu 
cation." 

"You  know,  of  course,  that  they  were  expelled  from 
college  for  their  radical  utterances  on  the  ownership 
land  and  other  property  ?" 

"O,  yes,  I  read  in  the  'World'  at  the  time  that  Mr.  Gil- 
hooley  had  advocated  the  confiscation  of  all  property,  and 
proposed  to  divide  the  wealth  of  the  nation  among  the 
railroad  employes,  factory  operators  and  tramps." 

"Why,  they  have  gone  even  further  than  that  in  their 
crusade  against  society.  They  are  entreating  the  govern 
ment  to  hang  all  the  aspirants  to  noble  titles,  and  give 
their  property  to  the  strikers  and  others  of  that  disturb 
ing  element." 

"I  think  it  would  be  well  to  imitate  our  cousins  be 
yond  the  wave,  and  establish  a  monarchy  here.  They 
have  never  any  serious  difficulties  in  Dan,  because  the 
Queen  would  not  tolerate  such  impudence  from  menials. 
You  see,  she  is  independent,  and  does  not  apprehend  any 
danger  from  calling  on  the  army  to  quash  insurrections. 
In  this  country,  the  President  would  not  hazard  his  chance 
of  re-election  by  opposing  the  dross  and  scum  of  society, 
and  respectable  people  are  kept  in  dread  of  those  lawless 
bandits." 

"Well,  we  attach  too  much  importance  to  liberty,  and 
the  ignorant  masses  take  advantage  of  this.  Why,  only  a 
few  days  ago  my  husband  horrified  me  when  he  informed 
me  of  a  little  difficulty  he  had  in  the  factory.  One  of  the 
employes  had  violated  Mr.  Reisan's  rules,  and  was  chew 
ing  tobacco,  and  when  he  was  notified  that  he  would  be 
castigated  for  the  offense,  he  really  had  the  temerity  and 


96  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

audacity  to  curse,  and  say  that  he  was  a  Toadian  citizen, 
and  would  do  as  he  pleased." 

"And  what  did  Mr.  Reisan  do  ?" 

"Why  he  discharged  him  forthwith." 

"Well,  he  would  not  have  escaped  that  easily  with  my 
husband.  There  is  nothing  in  the  world  that  Ebenezer 
loathes  so  much  as  disobedience  and  impudence  from  in 
feriors.  The  day  before  yesterday,  Ben,  our  coachman, 
was  not  to  be  found  when  I  ordered  the  carriage.  Of 
course,  I  could  not  go  out  that  morning.  Ben  came  up 
to  the  house  tbout  eleven  o'clock,  and  an  hour  later 
Ebenezer  walked  in,  and  I  reported  the  matter  to  him. 
Ebenezer  called  Ben  and  took  him  out  to  the  stable,  and 
a  few  minutes  later  I  heard  Ben  screaming  for  mercy." 

"Did  Mr.  Gehtheimer  whip  him?" 

"Whip  him  ?  Well  I  should  think  so !  He  gave  him 
fifty  lashes  with  the  carriage  whip,  and  I  think  Ben  will 
never  forget  his  medicine." 

"Well,  I  think  if  Mr.  Reisan  would  resort  to  that 
method  there  would  be  no  more  trouble  in  his  factory." 

"Why,  of  course  not.  What  are  servants  for  but  to 
obey  their  masters?  There  have  always  been  slaves  in 
times  past.  Look  at  Greece  and  Rome !  There  were  far 
more  slaves  in  those  countries  than  freemen.  Look  at 
New  Israel  for  more  than  a  thousand  years.  The  masters 
not  only  had  the  right  to  whip  them,  but  could  kill  them, 
even  without  a  cause.  We  should  pass  a  law  in  this  coun 
try  to  enslave  every  man,  woman  and  child  that  is  not 
worth  a  specified  sum.  Then  there  would  be  no  strikes. 
The  master  could  take  his  recalcitrant  slaves,  and  give 
them  a  thorough  lashing,  and  that  would  end  the  matter. 
Why,  there  were  no  strikes  among  the  Cushites  before 
the  war." 

In  the  meantime  Mrs.  Reisan  remarked  to  her  com 
panion  : 

"Do  you  see  how  much  those  Einstein  girls  are  mak 
ing  over  those  journalists  ?" 

But  Mrs.  Gehtheimer  was  so  interested  in  the  discus 
sion  of  the  class  problem  that  she  continued,  without  no 
ticing  the  remark : 

"Don't  you  know,  I  think  it  was  a  bad  idea  ever  to  have 


LEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  97 

allowed  the  Irish  to  enter  this  country  ?  They  came  here 
with  their  Christian  ideas  about  the  equality  of  men. 
Their  God  preached  against  class  distinction,  and  the 
Apostles  of  the  new  religion  began  to  propagate  the  tenets 
of  their  Master  throughout  the  world.  They  subverted 
every  power  that  opposed  them,  abolished  slavery  in  every 
land,  teaching  that  there  were  no  longer  Jew  or  Gentile, 
Greek  or  barbarian,  bond  or  free,  but  all  in  all  in  Christ." 

"Did  they  not  inculcate  the  idea  that  the  human  race 
forms  one  great  brotherhood?"  interrupted  Mrs.  Reisan. 

"Yes,  if  I  remember  correctly,  they  teach  that  there  is 
one  God  and  Father,  who  is  above  all  and  in  all  and 
through  all." 

"Well,  I  should  hate  to  think  that  I  was  created  by 
the  same  God  that  brought  those  miserable  tramps  and 
servants  into  the  world !"  remarked  Mrs.  Reisan. 

"I  should  hate  still  more  to  think  that  we  were  all  go 
ing  to  the  same  heaven !"  said  Mrs.  Gehtheimer. 

"O,  I  think  that  we  will  go  to  the  same  heaven,"  ob 
served  her  companion,  "but  it  will  be  just  like  it  is  here. 
The  wealthy,  cultivated  people  will  be  waited  on  by  the 
others  with  perfect  submission  and  obedience." 

"Ah !  there  goes  Biddy  Einstei-n  with  Mr.  Gilhooley !" 
exclaimed  Mrs.  Gehtheimer. 

"And  do  you  see  Mary  Ann  with  Mr.  McGillicuddy  ?" 

"O,  well !  the  Einsteins  have  Irish  blood  in  them,  and 
it  is  no  wonder  they  consort  with  that  class  of  people. 
They  say  that  Mr.  Einstein  is  a  great  admirer  of  'The 
Flaming  Sword,'  and  that  Teddy  pays  frequent  visits  to 
its  editors." 

"What  a  pity !  Mr.  Einstein  is  such  a  refined  gentle 
man,  and  besides  he  is  an  honored  member  of  the  social 
set,  and  it  is  too  bad  that  he  and  his  family  should  asso 
ciate  with  anarchists." 

Similar  remarks  were  made  in  an  undertone  by  various 
persons  throughout  the  evening.  Though  many  con 
demned  the  positions  which  the  reformers  had  assumed, 
yet  all  admired  their  genius  and  their  accomplishments. 
They  were  the  cynosures  of  every  eye,  and  many  a  maiden 
heart  beat  faster  when  the  handsome  young  editors  es 
corted  Miss  Biddy  and  Miss  Mary  Ann  to  the  dining- 


98  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

room.  The  guests  were  scarcely  seated  at  the  table  when 
Mrs.  Gehtheimer  addressed  Mr.  Gilhooley. 

"I  understand,"  she  said,  "that  you  intend  to  estab 
lish  a  communism  in  this  country?" 

"Well,  I  have  not  advocated  that  doctrine  in  any  of  my 
public  utterances,  but  I  do  not  repudiate  the  plausibility 
of  such  a  form  of  government,"  he  replied. 

"Do  you  not  think  that  your  ideas  are  Utopian?" 

"Do  you  mean  the  ideas  I  have  advanced  in  our  pa 
per?"  he  asked. 

"Yes.  You  are  waging  a  crusade  on  wealth,  are  you 
not?" 

"No,  not  on  wealth,  only  on  legalized  theft,"  he  an 
swered.  "I  would  make  no  distinction  between  the  mid 
night  burglar  who  enters  your  premises  and  loots  your 
treasures  and  the  railroad  robber  who  appropriates  the 
product  of  the  laborer's  toil.  In  fact,  the  latter  is  even 
more  criminal,  because  he  steals  a  poor  man's  crust  of 
bread,  whereas  the  former  lives  on  the  luxuries  of  the 
rich/' 

"Do  you  think  you  will  ever  be  able  to  accomplish  the 
object  of  your  ambition?"  she  questioned,  fixing  her 
small,  keen  eyes  on  him. 

"What  do  you  intend  to  signify  by  the  'object  of  my 
ambition'?"  he  asked,  frankly. 

"Why,  to  divide  the  land  among  the  people." 

"I  never  had  any  such  intentions,"  he  returned,  coolly. 

"No?    Why,  I  thought  that  was  your  doctrine." 

"Then,  madam,  you  have  been  misinformed,"  he  re 
turned,  with  a  smile  that  robbed  the  words  of  their  curt- 
ness.  "I  am  simply  pleading  for  the  justice  of  Socialism, 
an  economic  change  in  our  industrial  methods  that  will 
prevent  the  accumulation  of  vast  wealth  in  the  hands  of 
the  few,  at  the  expense  of  the  masses,  and  will  throw  open 
the  resources  of  nature  to  millions  of  willing  toilers.  It 
will  destroy  the  possibility  of  some  thriving  on  the  wealth 
produced  by  others.  It  will  take  the  rod'  of  despotism 
from  the  hands  of  trusts,  stimulate  industry,  banish  pov 
erty,  and  make  every  earnest  laborer  comfortable  and 
happy." 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  99 

During  the  conversation  the  other  guests  listened 
breathlessly,  and  not  a  word  was  lost. 

"I  hope,"  then  said  Mrs.  Gehtheimer,  "that  you  will 
not  succeed  in  making  Miss  Biddy  a  convert  to  your 
views." 

Miss  Biddy  replied: 

"I  am  already  a  convert/' 

"What!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Gehtheimer,  adding:  "Mr. 
Gilhooley  must  be  a  necromancer  to  have  enchanted  you 
so  soon." 

"It  is  not  so  soon  as  you  think,"  replied  the  young 
girl.  "I  have  read  Mr.  Gilhooley's  contributions  to  the 
Meron  Ledger,  and  his  controversy  with  Rabbi  Nichol 
son.  Moreover,  my  father  subscribes  for  The  Flaming 
Sword/  and  I  read  every  line  of  the  paper.  The  views  en 
tertained  by  Mr.  Gilhooley  and  Mr.  McGillicuddy  seem, 
in  my  mind,  as  clear  as  the  noonday  sun,  and  I  fail  to  see 
how  any  intelligent  person  can  refuse  to  accept  the  justice 
of  Socialism." 

Silence  fell  on  the  guests  when  this  defense  was  made. 
After  a  few  moments  Mr.  Gilhooley  started  the  conversa 
tion  by  a  pleasant  remark  on  the  value  of  his  convert. 

"I  knew  a  gentleman  in  Meron,"  said  he,  "who  was 
an  officer  in  the  Federal  army,  and,  after  conquering  the 
masculine  heroes  of  the  South,  he  was  himself  conquered 
by  a  fragile  Southern  beauty.  And  when  I  reflect  on  this 
incident,  I  have  every  reason  to  feel  proud  of  the  triumph 
I  have  won,  in  taking,  to  the  Socialist  camp,  a  maiden 
whose  charms  would  have  fascinated  all  the  generals  en 
gaged  in  suppressing  the  late  rebellion." 

This  little  incident  created  good  humor  among  the 
guests,  which  was  expressed  by  their  smiles  and  laughter. 
The  conversation  assumed  a  more  cheerful,  lightsome 
character,  and  many  of  the  young  people  bantered  Mr. 
Gilhooley  at  the  expense  of  the  blushing  maid  at  his  side. 
At  about  one  o'clock  the  party  filed  out  of  the  dining  hall 
to  resume  their  amusements  in  the  parlors.  Mrs.  Reisan 
approached  Mrs.  Nehlmeyer,  and  began  to  speak  of  the 
merits  of  the  gallant  young  men  who  seemed  to  be  win 
ning  the  heart  of  every  damsel  at  the  levee. 


100  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

"Do  you  see,"  said  Mrs.  Reisan,  "how  the  fair  sex 
ogle  and  smile  on  the  youthful  crusaders  ?" 

"Yes,"  replied  her  companion,  "they  seem  to  make  a 
grand  impression  here,  and  I  am  not  surprised,  for  they 
are  men  of  splendid  caliber,  and  lofty  aspirations.  My 
daughter,  Rosaline,  thinks  that  they  are  the  heroes  of  the 
age.  She  has  been  reading  their  record,  and  entertains 
the  highest  idea  of  their  excellence,  and  when  she  was 
introduced  to  them  this  evening  she  was  charmd  with  their 
manners.  She  told  me  that  they  really  surpassed  her 
dreams." 

"Which  one  is  the  more  admired?" 

"Well,  I  cannot  say,"  responded  Mrs.  Nehlmeyer. 
"Many  of  the  young  ladies  speak  of  Mr.  Gilhooley's  state 
ly  form  and  wavy  hair  and  sparkling  black  eyes,  while 
others  rave  over  Mr.  McGillicuddy's  matchless  grace.  I 
think  the  fair  victims  that  escape  the  one  will  be  captured 
by  the  other.  Cupid's  arrows  are  flying  thick  and  fast 
among  the  ranks  of  beauty,  and  every  maiden's  heart  will 
bleed  to-night." 

"Why,  Mrs.  Nehlmeyer!  I  cannot  see  how  young 
ladies  of  opulence  and  social  prestige  can  go  into  raptures 
over  those  anarchists.  Deboreh  is  full  of  young  men  just 
as  brilliant  as  the  editors  of  The  Flaming  Sword.' ': 

"That  may  be,  but  the  fact  cannot  be  denied  that  they 
have  made  an  impression.  Besides,  Mrs.  Reisan,  I  can 
not  agree  with  you  in  calling  them  anarchists.  If  they 
were  anarchists,  Mr.  Einstein  would  not  have  invited 
them  to  his  house.  They  are  men  actuated  by  noble  pur 
poses,  and  they  are  expending  their  mental  energies  and 
defying  the  scorn  of  the  world  in  the  realization  of  their 
dreams  of  purifying  society  and  redeeming  the  nation." 

"Do  you  not  think,  Mrs.  Nehlmeyer,  that  this  inflam 
matory  sheet  will  excite  riots,  and  encourage  the  popu 
lace  to  ignore  law  and  order?" 

"No,"  replied  Mrs.  Nehlmeyer;  "I  think,  instead,  that 
it  will  inspire  the  masses  with  courage,  form  them  into 
lawful  associations,  and  enable  them  to  present  their  con 
solidated  forces  at  the  polls,  and  demand  their  innate 
rights  from  the  despots  who  have  long  oppressed  them." 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCFAN  KJj. 

"You  surprise  me !"  exclaimed  her  companion.  "Pray, 
what  right  have  those  cads  ?" 

"The  right  to  the  wealth  which  they  produce,  a  ~ight 
to  the  fruit  of  their  toil,  a  right  to  the  ownership  of  their 
persons  and  their  powers,  as  'The  Flaming  Sword'  has 
well  expressed  the  idea." 

"Do  you  really  believe,  then,  Mrs.  Nehlmeyer,  that 
servants  are  equal  to  their  masters  ?"  sweetly  asked  Mrs. 
Reisan.  "Why  did  not  God  make  them  wealthy  if  He  in 
tended  them  to  be  our  equals  ?" 

"God  does  not  make  servants.  That  is  the  work  of 
men.  It  originated  in  usurpation,"  explained  Mrs.  Nehl 
meyer. 

"Well,  for  my  part,  I  believe  that  some  were  born  to 
be  lords  and  some  to  be  slaves,  and  this  is  necessary  for 
the  existence  of  society.  If  there  were  no  menials,  who 
would  wait  on  us  ?" 

"If  there  were  no  menials,  we  should  be  noble  enough 
to  wait  on  ourselves,  and  consider  it  no  disgrace.  Labor 
would  be  dignified,  for  the  proudest  in  the  land  would 
toil.  We  are  drifting  back  to  the  corrupt  civilization  of 
ancient  Greece  and  Rome,  when  labor  was  stigmatized 
with  the  brand  of  infamy,  as  we  read  in  the  histories  of 
those  countries,  imported  by  the  Irish  refugees;  and  we 
do  not  marvel  to  see  the  most  cultivated  minds  of  those 
days,  such  as  Aristotle  and  Plato,  teaching  the  ideas  that 
you  have  imbibed.  I  admire  the  spirit  of  the  benign  Zeno, 
the  founder  of  Stoicism,  who  said  that  'All  men  are  by  na 
ture  equal.  Virtue  alone  establishes  a  difference  between 
them.' ': 

"Well/'  replied  Mrs.  Reisan  to  this  defense  of  human 
equality,  "you  may  think  as  you  please,  but  the  country  will 
never  enjoy  the  blessings  of  peace  and  prosperity  till  we 
undo  the  work  of  the  Federal  Government  in  the  abolition 
of  slavery.  I  think  that  institution,  hallowed  by  the  touch 
of  time,  and  consecrated  by  the  shadows  of  antiquity, 
should  never  have  been  subverted.  It  is  the  bulwark  of 
civilization,  the  foundation  of  the  social  fabric,  and  I  hope 
to  see  the  whipping-post  again  called  into  requisition,  not 
only  for  the  dusky  Cushites  of  the  South,  but  for  the  poor 
white  trash  of  the  nation." 


102; 


';BEYONf>  TtfE  BLACK  OCEAN 


"Your  hopes  will  never  be  realized  in  the  glorious  civ 
ilization  of  our  age,  and  especially  in  this  country,"  re 
plied  her  companion.  "The  last  drop  of  Toadian  blood 
would  be  shed  if  any  attempt  were  made  to  resort  to  those 
barbarous  customs,  to  the  brutality  that  stained  the  buried 
generations.  You  canot  enthrall  the  citizens  of  this  land 
of  freedom,  and  I  emphatically  denounce  your  views  as 
selfish  and  cruel." 

"You  think  that  Toadian  citizens,  as  you  call  them, 
will  not  submit  to  the  lash  ?  Who  made  them  citizens  ? 
Can  we  not  change  the  constitution,  disfranchise  them 
by  establishing  property  qualifications  for  the  rights  of 
voting?  Your  Toadian  citizen,  indeed!  Mrs1.  Gehthei- 
mer  just  told  me  this  evening  that  her  husband  lashed  her 
coachman  the  other  day  for  remissness.  I  suppose  he 
thought  that  he  was  a  Toadian  citizen  till  he  felt  the  lash 
on  his  back,  which  forcibly  reminded  him  that  he  was  a 
Toadian  servant." 

"O,  yes,  it  is  very  easy  to  abuse  a  poor  simpleton  like 
Ben,  and  any  man  who  would  take  advantage  of  that  ninny 
is  a  varlet  of  the  deepest  dye.  But  perhaps  Mr.  Gehtheimer 
is  not  to  be  censured,  for  he  also  receives  the  lash  from  his 
vixenly  consort.  That  disreputable  virago  is  capable  of 
committing  any  crime.  She  is  a  child  of  vice,  and  she  was 
nurtured  at  the  breast  of  degradation." 

"Why,  Mrs.  Nehlmeyer!  What  do  you  say?  Mrs. 
Gehtheimer  belongs  to  the  social  set." 

"She  belonged  to  the  social  set  because  her  antece 
dents  were  unknown  there.  Her  mother  was  a  public 
woman  in  Sohonan,  where  she  made  her  money  by  wor 
shipping  at  the  shrine  of  Aphrodite.  Her  daughter  in 
herited  the  same  vocation  from  her  scarlet  dame,  erected 
a  crystal  palace,  consecrated  her  youth  and  beauty  on  the 
altar  of  lust,  and  officiated  as  high-priestess  of  the  lupercal 
festivities  in  the  temple  of  Venus.  When  her  fortune  had 
reached  several  millions,  she  came  to  Deboreh  and  passed 
as  the  widow  of  a  wealthy  miner.  Ebenezer  Gehtheimer, 
a  poor  lawyer,  who  never  had  a  case  in  court,  to  escape 
starvation,  married  her  for  her  gold.  And  since  then  he 
has  acted  as  her  agent  in  making  investments,  which  have 
multiplied  her  wealth  many  times.  Even  when  she  lived 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  103 

a  public  life  in  Sohonan,  she  became  interested  in  the  gold 
mines  of  the  West,  purchased  large  tracts  of  land,  and 
afterwards  sold  her  possessions  at  a  very  high  figure,  and 
thus  made  fabulous  sums."  After  recounting  these  facts, 
Mrs.  Nehlmeyer  said  to  her  companion :  "Now,  you 
have  the  history  of  this  painted  hypocrite,  who  apes  aris 
tocracy.  My  husband  learned  her  antecedents  when  visit 
ing  Sohonan  last  year.  Every  one  there  is  acquainted 
with  Eliza  Hannon,  the  queen  of  the  demi-monde,  and 
the  same  Eliza  Hannon  is  now  known  in  the  social  set  as 
Mrs.  Gehtheimer.  Mr.  Einstein  does  not  know  of  the 
vileness  of  this  woman,  or  she  would  not  be  here  to-night. 
I  shall  see,  however,  that  he  will  be  informed,  and  your 
goddess,  Mrs.  Gehtheimer,  will  never  again  tarnish  the 
purity  of  the  Einstein  home  with  the  poison  of  her  breath. 
Good-evening,  madam !"  and  Mrs.  Nehlmeyer  walked 
away  from  her  companion. 

The  night  had  almost  vanished  and  the  guests,  after  a 
delightful  entertainment,  began  to  depart,  each  one  assur 
ing  the  hostess  that  the  occasion  would  be  long  remem 
bered  in  the  social  annals  of  Deboreh.  The  two  reformers 
drove  to  the  hotel,  and  before  retiring,  they  smoked  a 
cigar  and  commented  on  the  events  of  the  levee. 

"I  think,  Mac,"  said  Isaac,  "that  Mrs.  Gehtheimer  is  a 
termagant." 

"She  is  a  half-educated,  pompous  old  hag,  who  is  too 
superficial  to  know  her  deficiencies,  and  who  has  not 
enough  sense  to  hide  her  ignorance,"  said  McGillicuddy. 
"My  God !  I'd  hate  to  be  married  to  that  one !  I  bet 
her  husband  never  doubts  the  existence  of  hell,  for  he  has 
it  right  at  home." 

"By  the  way,  Gil,  that  reminds  me  of  a  little  incident 
that  occurred  one  night  at  a  spiritualistic  seance  in 
Baron.  Mr.  Lohlstcin  married  a  woman  of  a  tempestuous, 
supercilous  temperament,  and  she  made  his  life  miserable. 
After  his  death,  like  all  pharisaical  women,  she  went  into 
hysterics,  and  pretended  that  she  wished  to  be  buried  with 
her  husband.  Of  course,  everybody  was  disgusted  with 
the  hypocrisy  of  the  old  dame,  for  it  was  well  known  that 
she  had  never  loved  him.  One  night,  about  six  months 
after  the  funeral,  she  thought  that  she  would  like  to  have 


104  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

a  few  words  with  Jacob,  and  she  consulted  a  medium.  It 
is  reported  that  the  shade  of  Jacob  appeared,  and  his 
widow  asked  him  if  he  were  happy.  Mind  you,  she  was 
already  engaged  to  another  at  the  same  time.  The  voice 
of  Jacob  was  heard  to  say  that  he  was  happy.  'Are  you 
as  happy  as  you  were  with  me?'  she  asked.  'O,  yes/  he 
said,  'far  happier  than  I  was  with  you.'  Then  I  suppose 
you  are  in  Heaven?'  she  asked.  'No/  said  he,  'I  am  in 
hell.' ' 

After  the  laughter  that  followed  this  recital  had  ceased, 
Isaac  said : 

"Don't  you  know  that  when  you  mentioned  love,  I 
thought  of  my  experience  this  evening?  To  be  honest, 
Mac,  I  believe  there  is  something  in  love,  after  all.  I  felt 
mighty  funny  when  I  was  in  company  with  Miss  Biddy." 

"I  can  sympathize  with  you,  for  my  heart  throbbed 
every  time  I  looked  into  the  liquid  depths  of  those  beauti 
ful  orbs  of  Miss  Mary  Ann,"  said  McGillicuddy,  with  a 
laugh  in  his  voice.  "In  fact,  Gil,  I  believe  I'm  struck — 
that's  the  word,  isn't  it?" 

"Well,"  said  Isaac,  "we  may  console  ourselves  that  we 
have  two  such  handsome  girls  to  love." 

"By  the  way,  Gil,  what  is  love?" 

"I  would  call  it  an  intangible  substance  that  has  nei 
ther  height,  depth  nor  breadth,  yet  leaves  a  mighty  weight 
on  the  heart." 

"That  is  good,"  said  Abraham,  "but  I  think  I  can  give 
a  better  definition  than  the  one  you  offered." 

"Give  it  to  us,  then,"  said  his  companion. 
"Love,"  said  McGillicuddy,  "love  is  an  inward  inde- 
scribableness  and  an  outward  all-overishness." 

"That  is  capital,  Mac !  Let  us  now  go  to  bed,  and 
dream  of  our  sweethearts,"  and  the  friends  retired  to  rest 
a  few  hours.  • 


CHAPTER  X. 

In  the  month  of  May,  1855,  on    tne    shores    of   the 
Nashan,  in  the  kingdom  of  Dan,  a  dreamer  was  wander- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  IO$ 

ing  through  the  realms  of  fancy,  and  his  mystic  wand 
struck  an  empire,  and  it  faded  like  the  mirage  of  the 
desert.  He  saw  in  his  heated,  fervid  imagination,  insur 
rection,  victory,  power.  He  saw  all  peoples  crouching  at 
the  throne  of  his  royal  queen,  and  all  the  nations  vanish 
ing  before  the  onward  march  of  a  world-wide  empire. 
Lord  Aran  drove  to  the  lovely  city  park  in  the  suburbs  of 
Hosea.  The  winged  songsters  were  caroling  their  matin 
lays  amidst  the  leafy  bowers,  chanting  their  praises  to 
Him  who  made  the  glorious  universe.  The  car  of  Phoe 
bus  rolled  across  the  purple  space  on  wheels  of  glittering 
gold,  and  the  smiles  of  the  young  day  chased  the  frowns 
from  hill  and  vale  and  mead  and  field.  The  gauzy  veils 
of  floating  vapor  arose  from  the  briny  flood,  like  Thetis, 
the  daughter  of  the  Sea.  The  morning  air  was  balmy  and 
fragrant  with  the  breath  of  budding  life.  The  scent  of 
flowers  floated  on  the  wing  of  the  breeze,  and  filled  every 
living  soul  with  joy.  The  woods  were  alive  with  the  voice 
of  the  Dryads,  and  the  song  of  the  Nymphs  mingled  with 
the  splash  of  the  fountains,  and  the  gush  of  limpid  rills. 
Lord  Aran  was  not  moved  by  the  radiant  smile  of  nature, 
but  like  the  ancient  hero,  immoralized  by  the  harp  of  the 
Grecian  bard,  "In  his  black  thoughts  revenge  and  slaugh 
ter  roll,  and  scenes  of  blood  rise  dreadful  in  his  soul." 

"Yes,"  said  the  haughty  nobleman,  "we  will  humble 
the  pride  of  this  youthful  nation  that  dare  check  the 
growth  of  our  empire.  The  late  message  of  the  President 
of  Toadia  is  an  insult  to  our  arms.  This  Jechonias  Doc 
trine  !  We  will  not  be  hampered  by  such  nonsense.  We 
cannot  conquer  them,  for  a  Toadian  will  die  for  his  coun 
try  and  his  home.  Our  hopes  were  blasted  in  the  Revolu 
tion  ;  and  in  the  battle  of  the  seas,  where  we  had  been 
crowned  as  queen  by  the  voice  of  the  nations,  our  ships 
went  down  before  the  desolating  fire  of  their  mighty  guns. 
We  failed  again  in  the  rebellion  of  1826,  when  we  thought 
that  the  days  of  the  Toadian  Republic  were  numbered,  and 
the  Danish  flag  was  destined  to  float  in  triumph  over  the 
towers  of  Lidda.  But  the  symbol  of  the  Confederacy  fled 
from  the  dark  and  bloody  ground,  and  the  banner  of  unity 
was  hailed  from  the  frozen  banks  of  Zedad  to  the  golden 
sands  of  the  Doric  Gulf. 


IO6  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

"But  we  have  crushed  them  financially.  To-day  we 
own  fifteen  billion  dollars  of  Todian  wealth  from  which  we 
draw  an  annual  income  of  one  billion  five  hundred  mill 
ions.  The  Toadians  are  a  lot  of  big  boys,  that  will  fight  for 
glory,  but  they  have  no  idea  of  finance.  A  child  could 
deceive  them  in  a  business  transaction.  Besides  they  never 
utilize  their  advantages.  They  boast  of  honor,  and  if  you 
strike  them  on  that  point,  you  can  gain  any  object. 
Honor !  As  if  such  a  virtue  existed  anywhere  but  among 
imbeciles !  I  wouldn't  give  a  penny  for  all  the  honor  in 
the  world !  It  is  the  ruin  of  men  and  nations.  However, 
it  is  well  that  there  are  so^  many  fools  that  can  be  flattered 
by  that  empty  name,  for  wise  men  can  suceed  by  their 
mistakes. 

"Yes,  we  are  excluded  from  South  Toadia,  because  the 
citizens  of  the  Toadian  Republic  think  that  they  are  in 
honor  bound  to  defend  the  Jechonias  Doctrine.  Had  it 
not  been  for  that  damnable  opinion,  the  Danish  Lion 
to-day  would  roam  the  forests  of  the  South,  unmolested 
by  the  cry  of  the  Eagle  from  the  North.  But  we  will  use 
Toadian  honor  to  our  advantage.  In  its  name  we  will 
demolish  the  Jechonias  Doctrine,  and  the  king  of  beasts 
will  conquer  the  earth,  and  the  queen  of  birds  will  sweep 
the  heavens.  By  a  little  chicanery,  by  soft,  oily  adulation, 
we  will  gain  the  confidence  of  the  Eagle,  and  draw  her  into 
the  mouth  of  the  lion,  and  Todian  honor  will  be  lost  in 
Danish  empire. 

"They  call  their  country  the  land  of  the  brave,  and 
boast  that  their  flag  has  led  the  sons  of  freedom  to  the 
temple  of  victory.  We  will  use  this  puerile  sentiment  in 
advancing  our  intrigues.  We  will  send  our  emissaries  to 
Ammon,  and  incite  the  inhabitants  of  that  island  to  re 
bellion  against  the  government  of  Reuben.  Of  course, 
the  Toadians  will  lend  their  support  to  the  insurrection, 
which  will  bring  on  a  war  between  the  two  countries,  and 
will  culminate  in  the  annexation  of  Ammon  to  the  Toadian 
Republic,  and  the  Jechonias  Doctrine  will  be  annulled  by 
its  violation,  arid  the  lion  will  be  at  liberty  to  roam  through 
the  jungles  of  the  New  World.  I  will  mature  this  plan 
and  before  fifteen  years  the  empire  of  the  sea  will  become 
the  empire  of  the  world. 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  IO7 

"O,  my  heart  leaps  with  joy  when  looking  down  the 
vistas  of  the  years,  I  see  the  blood  of  the  Toadian  heroes 
mingling  with  the  waters  that  lave  the  shores  of  Ammon, 
the  clash  of  fleets  on  the  swelling  surge,  the  shrieks  of 
death  that  come  from  sinking  ships  driven  to  destruction 
in  the  battle's  awful  fury.  March  on,  ye  haughty  sons  of 
freedom,  march  on  to  your  graves  in  the  liquid  depths, 
where  your  bodies  will  feed  the  aquatic  broods.  March 
on,  ye  sons  of  the  revolutionists,  who  humbled  our  flag 
on  your  distant  hills  and  shed  the  blood  of  our  ancestors  in 
your  deep  defiles,  and  left  them  a  prey  to  vultures  that 
build  their  eyries  on  the  lofty  mountain  peaks.  March 
on,  ye  vain  gasconades,  ye  vaunting  band  of  guerillas,  ye 
ignorant  hordes  of  mountaineers,  ye  progeny  of  rebels 
and  traitors,  ye  offsprings  of  the  proletaire,  who  would 
aspire  to  noble  rank.  We  will  cheer  ye  on  to  battle,  and  in 
our  hearts  laugh  at  your  stupidity.  We  will  pretend  to  be 
friends,  forget  the  past  and  call  ye  by  the  endearing  name 
of  cousins,  give  a  few  empty  titles  to  your  moneyed 
canaille,  and  win  their  love  and  confidence.  If  the  world 
consolidates  its  ranks  against  you,  we  will  join  the  mighty 
armament  and  be  the  loudest  in  denouncing  your  atroci 
ties,  tear  down  the  pillars  of  your  temple,  and  hurl  an 
athemas  on  your  guilty  head.  If  you  succeed,  we  will 
beguile  you  into  an  alliance  with  us,  urge  you  to  crown 
the  brow  of  your  ruler  with  the  royal  diadem,  and  ere 
long,  by  intermarriage  with  our  regal  house,  the  scepter 
of  Dan  will  rule  the  empire  of  the  West.  Great  and  glori 
ous  are  these  dreams  of  future  power  and  conquest !  They 
are  worthy  of  the  ancient  bard  who  built  the  throne  of 
Osiris  amidst  gleams  and  flames  of  purple  light  that  roll 
'in  glittering  billows'  in  that  vast  realm  of  spheres  that 
fleck  and  jewel  and  spangle  the  broad  firmament  of 
heaven.  Homer,  revelling  with  Grecian  gods  on  the 
cloud-capped  peaks  of  Olympus,  never  drank  more  freely 
from  Aganippe's  silvery  tide,  and  the  Muse  of  the  frozen 
North  might  leave  the  marble  halls  of  Valhalla,  where 
heroes  celebrate  their  triumphs  amidst  regal  splendor,  and 
borrow  the  visions  begotten  in  the  womb  of  Danish 
genius,  and  fill  her  soul  with  the  inspirations  of  the  god 
dess  enthroned  on  the  borders  of  the  western  main." 


108  BEYONK  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 


CHAPTER  XL 

The  Presidential  election  was  to  occur  in  November, 
A  new  issue  came  before  the  people.  Hitherto,  the  great 
questions  were  protection  and  free  trade.  The  defenders 
of  the  latter  were  called  liberals,  and  they  advocated  that 
it  was  to  the  interest  of  the  Republic  to  allow  all  nations 
to  sell  their  merchandise  to  the  dealers  of  Toadia  without 
any  restrictions,  except  a  moderate  tariff  for  the  purpose 
of  creating  a  revenue  to  defray  governmental  expenses. 
The  protectionists  claimed  that  the  infant  industries  of  the 
country  should  be  protected  by  the  imposition  of  a  high 
tariff  on  foreign  importations,  and  they  argued  that  the 
manufacturer,  not  being  compelled  to  cope  with  the  cheap 
labor  of  New  Israel,  could  afford  to  remunerate  his  opera 
tives  with  higher  wages.  High  tariff,  in  their  creed,  meant 
high  wages,  and  a  low  tariff  meant  low  wages.  The  lib 
erals  contended  that  low  tariff  meant  low  prices  for  the 
necessaries  of  life,  and  with  a  modest  compensation,  the 
laborer  could  easily  provide  himself  with  all  comforts ; 
whereas  the  more  advanced  wages  promised  by  the  pro 
tectionists  would  be  consumed  in  the  increased  price  of 
food  and  clothing. 

The  laboring  element  were  divided  in  their  opinion  as 
to  the  merits  of  the  two  political  doctrines.  Some  voted 
for  the  liberal  party  and  others  for  the  protectionists ;  and, 
hence,  their  power  in  wielding  the  franchise  for  the 
amelioration  of  social  conditions  was  lost.  In  1855,  the 
liberals  adopted  in  their  platform  the  unlimited  coinage 
of  silver  on  a  par  with  gold  at  the  ratio  of  sixteen  to  one ; 
and  the  protectionists  vowed  to  maintain  the  sound  money 
standard.  The  labor  party  was  again  absorbed  by  the 
silverites  and  gold  bugs.  "The  Flaming  Sword"  took  an 
active  part  in  the  campaign,  and  admonished  the  laboring 
classes  to  sever  allegiance  with  the  old  political  creeds, 
and  formulate  a  platform  that  would  advance  the  interests 
of  the  producers. 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  IOQ 

One  evening  in  August,  Isaac  and  Abraham  called  at 
the  Einstein  house,  where  they  had  been  weekly  visitors 
ever  since  their  attendance  at  the  levee,  when  they  had 
met  for  the  first  time  Misses  Biddy  and  Mary  Ann.  The 
large  double  parlors  were  brilliantly  illuminated,  and  the 
two  young  ladies  were  waiting  for  their  lovers.  The  door 
bell  rang,  and  Gilhooley  and  McGillicuddy  were  ushered 
into  the  drawing-room,  where  they  found  the  bewitching 
damsels  engaged  in  rendering  the  latest  musical  compo 
sition.  Isaac  took  a  seat  beside  Biddy,  and  Abraham  oc 
cupied  a  sociable  with  Mary  Ann  in  the  next  parlor. 

"By  the  way,  Isaac,"  said  Miss  Biddy,  "I  see  The 
Flaming  Sword'  is  dealing  quite  comprehensively  with 
the  financial  question.  I  have  been  reading  your  com 
munications,  but  I  do  not  thoroughly  grasp  the  situation, 
and  I  wish  to  ask  a  few  questions  this  evening,  if  you  will 
favor  me  with  your  information." 

"Why,  certainly,  Miss  Biddy,  I  am  only  too  glad  of  the 
opportunity.  What  particular  information  do  you  de 
sire?" 

"Well,"  said  she,  "I  do  not  understand  the  full  import 
of  the  exception  clause." 

Isaac's  admiring  glance  rested  for  a  moment  on  the 
bright,  intelligent  face  turned  so  confidingly  toward  him ; 
then  he  began : 

"An  act  was  passed  in  1827  issuing  greenbacks  to  de 
fray  the  expenses  of  the  war,  and  this  money  was  legal 
tender  for  all  debts.  It  was  the  money  of  the  government. 
Within  a  few  months,  the  bankers  had  the  exception 
clause  passed,  in  virtue  of  which  the  government  money 
was  not  available  in  payment  of  duties  and  interest  on 
public  debts,  which  was  to  be  paid  in  coin.  At  that  time 
there  was  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  premium  on  gold, 
and  there  was  seventy-six  cents  duty  on  sugar.  Now  the 
importer  would  pay  two  dollars  and  sixteen  cents  in  green 
backs  for  seventy-six  cents  in  gold,  and  instead  of  paying 
one  dollar  and  seventy-six  cents  for  his  sugar,  he  actually 
paid  three  dollars  and  sixteen  cents,  or  one  dollar  and 
forty  cents  more  than  he  would  have  paid  if  greenbacks 
were  a  legal  tender  for  all  debts  without  exception.  The 
gold  banker  could  take  the  two  dollars  and  sixteen  cents. 


1 10  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

paid  by  the  importer  for  seventy-six  cents,  and  buy,  with 
that,  government  bonds  at  face  value,  and  draw  his  in 
terest  in  gold.  Besides  these  advantages  accruing  to  the 
gold  banker,  there  was  a  great  demand  created  for  his 
metal,  which  immediately  enhanced  its  value." 

"You  have  made  it  so  clear  that  I  comprehend  it  thor 
oughly,"  said  his  fair  listener.  "Now  you  must  explain 
what  is  meant  by  the  contraction  of  the  currency." 

"Immediately  after  the  war,"  continued  Isaac,  "the 
greenbacks  were  called  in  and  cremated,  thus  contracting 
the  volume  of  money  in  circulation." 

"What  effect  did  this  act  produce?"  questioned  Miss 
Einstein. 

"It  depreciated  prices  and  caused  the  financial  ruin  of 
every  debtor  in  the  country.  Mr.  Sampson,  we  will  pre 
sume  for  the  sake  of  illustration,  has  purchased  a  farm 
for  ten  thousand  dollars,  when  corn  was  six  dollars  a 
barrel.  He  paid  five  thousand  dollars  in  cash  and  gives 
his  note  for  the  remainder.  Corn  has  now  fallen  to  three 
dollars  a  barrel,  and  consequently  it  will  take  twice  the 
amount  of  corn  now  that  it  would  have  taken  previously  to 
the  contraction  of  the  currency." 

"That  is  a  very  clear  illustration,"  commented  the 
girl.  "Now  tell  me  what  is  the  credit  strengthening  act. 
You  are  my  tutor,  and  I  am  going  to  utilize  the  privilege 
of  a  tyro,  and  ask  many  questions." 

"That  is  right,  Miss  Biddy ;  I  am  at  your  service,"  an 
swered  Isaac,  gallantly.  "The  credit  strengthening  act 
was  passed  by  Congress  in  1833  in  virtue  of  which  the 
bonds  sold  at  sixty  per  cent.,  and  made  payable  in  coin, 
that  is,  either  gold  or  silver,  were  now  made  payable  in 
gold  alone.  Finally  the  demonetization  of  silver  was  ac 
complished  by  the  intrigue  of  Danish  capitalists,  who 
sent  an  agent  to  this  country  with  millions  of  dollars  to 
bribe  Congress.  Gold  was  made  the  money  standard, 
and  the  circulation  of  silver  was  contracted." 

"What  results  followed  the  demonetization  of  the  white 
metal?"  asked  she. 

"There  has  been  an  increased  demand  for  the  yellow 
metal,  and  consequently,  its  quantity  being  limited,  the 
price  has  been  enhanced  and  all  commodities  measured  by 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  III 

that  standard  have  fallen  proportionately.  When  gold 
and  silver  were  on  a  par,  wheat  was  worth  one  dollar  per 
bushel.  Since  the  limitation  of  silver  coinage,  its  function 
in  the  money  market  has  been  curtailed,  and  its  value  has 
depreciated  fifty  per  cent,  and  the  result  is  that  all  articles 
of  consumption  have  fallen  fifty  per  cent.  Twenty  years 
ago  a  bushel  of  wheat  would  pay  interest  on  twenty  dol 
lars,  and  now  it  will  pay  interest  on  only  ten  dollars. 
Debtors  have  been  ruined  and  creditors  have  made  for 
tunes  by  the  lestrictions  imposed  on  the  coinage  of  silver, 
and  the  removal  of  those  restrictions  would  depress  the 
value  of  money  and  elevate  the  value  of  commodities,  and 
thereby  give  the  producer  an  opportunity  to  meet  his  ob 
ligations  and  discharge  the  burdens  that  encumber  his 
home." 

"Do  you  mean  that  free  silver  would  solve  the  social 
problem  ?" 

"By  no  means.  It  would  have  no  effect  on  the  labor 
problem.  It  would  assist  the  debtor,  by  enabling  him 
to  discharge  his  obligations  at  a  discount  of  fifty  per  cent, 
and  it  would  curb  the  power  of  the  creditor  class  by  reduc 
ing  the  value  of  their  bonds.  It  would  be  no  injustice  to 
those  who  invested  in  bonds,  or  lent  money,  when  the 
two  metals  were  on  a  par  at  the  ratio  of  sixteen  to  one ; 
for  the,  bonds  purchased  in  those  days  would,  by  the  un 
limited  coinage  of  silver,  fall  to  the  original  purchase 
price.  In  fact,  justice  requires  that  debts  contracted  when 
the  coinage  of  both  metals  were  restricted  by  no  legal  en 
actments,  and  were  legal  tender  for  all  debts,  should  be 
paid  in  either  metal.  With  the  facilities  of  mining,  silver 
has  fallen,  and  with  the  multiplication  of  machinery,  all 
other  products  have  depreciated  accordingly.  If  silver 
had  not  been  demonetized,  gold,  though  limited  in  quan 
tity,  would  likewise  have  depreciated  in  value  in  the  same 
ratio  as  other  commodities ;  and  to-day  one  bushel  of 
wheat  would  pay  a  debt  which  now  requires  two  bushels 
of  wheat  to  pay.  Gold  was  adopted  as  the  money  stand 
ard  simultaneously  by  all  the  countries  of  New  Israel,  and 
the  great  demand  for  gold  has  kept  up  the  price  of  the  yel 
low  metal.  However,  we  will  offer  another  illustration.  I 
will  presume  that  I  lent  you  one  thousand  dollars  in  gold 


112  BEYOND  TEE  BLACK   OCEAN 

this  year  when  the  commercial  value  of  a  gold  dollar  is 
worth  one  hundred  cents.  The  free  silver  bill  is  passed, 
and  you  can  take  five  hundred  gold  dollars  and  buy  one 
thousand  ounces  of  silver  bullion,  practically  speaking, 
and  have  this  bullion  coined  into  one  thousand  silver 
dollars,  and  thus  you  make,  and  I  lose,  five  hundred  dol 
lars.  Do  you  see  the  injustice  that  would  be  done  to  me  ?" 

"No,"  said  Biddy.  "I  do  not  understand  your  illus 
tration.  A  silver  dollar  will  buy  just  as  much  as  a  gold 
dollar." 

"Yes,"  replied  Isaac,  "because  the  government  has 
charge  of  the  mints,  and  limits  the  coinage  of  silver  to  a 
certain  quantity,  and  thus  it  keeps  up  the  money  price  of 
silver.  But  remove  the  limitations  of  coinage  and  silver 
will  fall  from  its  money  value  to  its  commercial  price.  As 
an  illustration :  The  South  Toadian  silver  dollars  are 
only  worth  fifty  cents  here,  though  they  contain  as  much 
silver  as  our  silver  dollars." 

"Well,  the  coinage  of  gold  is  not  limited,"  said  Biddy, 
"and  yet  it  does  not  fall  in  price." 

"For  the  simple  reason,"  responded  Isaac,  "that  gold 
is  scarce,  and  all  the  mining  facilities  of  the  world  could 
not  create  a  superabundance  of  the  yellow  metal,  whereas 
silver  abounds  in  many  countries,  especially  in  our  own, 
and  with  our  modern  mechanical  appliances,  the  nation 
would  soon  be  flooded  with  silver,  and  the  price  would 
fall  to  its  bullion  value,  and  the  ratio  between  the  bullion 
value  of  silver  and  gold  is  thirty  to  one.  If  the  silverites 
would  consent  to  the  coinage  of  a  silver  dollar  that  con 
tains  one  hundred  cents  in  bullion,  there  would  be  no 
injustice  in  the  movement,  but  they  show  their  dishon 
esty  in  attempting  to  palm  off  half  dollars  for  whole  dol 
lars.  The  law  demonetizing  silver  was  an  unjust  law,  for 
it  discriminated  in  favor  of  gold,  thereby  increasing  the 
wealth  of  those  who  held  bonds  and  other  securities ;  but 
we  must  not  rectify  one  wrong  by  perpetrating  another 
wrong.  The  creation  of  the  gold  standard  was  an  injus 
tice  to  those  who  were  in  debt,  and  the  unlimited  coinage 
of  silver  at  the  ratio  of  sixteen  to  one  is  an  injustice  to 
the  creditor  class,  who  have  made  this  money  when  a 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  113 

dollar  was  worth  one  hundred  cents,  and  who  are  now 
paid  in  a  coin  worth  only  fifty  cents." 

"So  you  think  that  the  silver  bill  would  benefit  no  one 
except  those  in  debt  ?" 

"It  would  help  the  debtor  class  and  would  temporarily 
check  the  power  of  the  creditor  class,  but  in  the  course  of 
time,  the  same  difficulties  would  arise  under  the  silver 
standard  as  we  now  experience  under  the  gold  standard. 
And  it  would  not  relieve  the  present  strained  condition  of 
the  laboring  class.  It  would  raise  the  wages  of  the  toilers 
for  the  simple  reason  that  their  wages  would  be  paid  in 
cheap  money,  and  this  inflated  currency  would  have  but 
half  the  purchasing  power  of  gold,  and  the  condition  of  the 
laborer  would  remain  the  same.  You  must  bear  in  mind 
that  wages  does  not  depend  on  capital,  that  industry  is 
not  limited  by  capital,  and  the  solution  of  the  problem 
would  be  seen  at  a  glance.  The  writers  on  political  econ 
omy  were  confronted  with  the  fact  that  wages  were  higher 
in  new  countries  than  in  old  countries,  in  sparsely  popu 
lated  countries  than  in  densely  populated  countries.  In 
crease  in  productive  power  and  wealth  was  marked  by  de 
preciation  of  wages.  The  theory  that  wages  depends  on 
capital  would  answer  this  difficulty,  for  wages  must  de 
crease  according  as  the  increase  of  laborers  necessitated  a 
more  minute  division  of  capital.  But  there  was  a  moral 
side  to  this  question,  and  Reman  won  the  esteem  and  ap 
plause  of  every  government  in  New  Israel  when  he  at- 
tribted  the  poverty  that  follows  the  march  of  progress  to 
natural  causes  instead  of  social  mal-adjustments.  This 
famous  divine  advocated  that  population  increases  in  a 
geometrical  ratio,  and  the  means  of  subsistence  in  an 
arithmetical  ratio.  Let  us  call,  he  says,  the  population 
of  this  island  eleven  millions,  and  suppose  the  present 
produce  equal  to  support  that  number.  In  the  first 
twenty-five  years  the  population  has  doubled  itself,  and 
there  are  now  twenty-two  millions.  The  means  of  sub 
sistence  has  also  doubled,  and  it  will  support  the  popula 
tion.  The  next  twenty-five  years  the  population  has 
increased  to  forty-four  millions  and  the  means  of  sub 
sistence  to  thirty-three  millions.  The  next  twenty-five 
years  the  population  has  increased  to  eighty-eight  mill- 


Il4  BEYOND  THE  BLACK   OCEAN 

ions,  and  the  means  of  subsistence  will  only  support  half 
that  number.  Taking  the  whole  earth  instead  of  this  island, 
emigration  would  be  excluded,  and  supposing  the  present 
population  equal  to  one  thousand  millions,  the  human 
species  would  increase  as  the  numbers,  I,  2,  4,  8,  16,  32, 
64,  128,  256,  and  subsistence  as  1,2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  7,  8,  9.  In 
two  centuries  the  population  would  be  to  the  means  of 
subsistence  as  256  is  to  9,  and  in  three  centuries  as  4,096 
is  to  13.  The  theory  of  wages  advanced  by  Mitheim 
maintains  that  wages  falls  as  the  increase  in  the  number 
of  laborers  necessitates  a  more  minute  division  of  capital, 
and  according  to  the  Remanian  doctrine,  poverty  appears 
as  increase  in  population  necessitates  the  more  minute  di 
vision  of  subsistence.  It  is  easily  seen  that  these  two 
theories  are  substantially  identical. 

"Reman  advocated  that  any  act  of  charity,  the  estab 
lishment  of  asylums  for  the  poor,  aged,  infirm,  orphans, 
etc.,  was  detrimental  to  the  human  race,  as  it  encouraged 
marriage  on  the  part  of  those  who  were  not  in  a  position 
to  provide  for  a  family,  as  they  know  they  and  their  fam 
ilies  would  be  supported  by  public  alms  in  case  of  neces 
sity.  The  theory  of  Mitheim  and  Reman  are  responsible 
for  all  the  social  crimes  of  the  past  century. 

"What  disproves  the  Remanian  theory  is  the  fact  that 
the  most  densely  populated  countries  are  the  wealthiest. 
They  have  the  greatest  abundance  of  those  articles  that 
gratify  human  desires.  Dan  is  far  more  wealthy  than 
Reuben,  the  eastern  States  of  Toadia  are  far  more  wealthy 
than  the  new  States  of  the  west.  You  may  survey  the 
entire  globe  during  all  the  ages  of  history,  and  the  truth 
confronts  you  that,  with  the  increase  of  population,  comes 
an  increase  in  wealth.  The  curse  of  poverty  appearing  in 
old  countries  is  not  due  to  over-population,  but  to  an  un 
just  distribution  of  wealth.  Rent,  interest  and  profits  ab 
sorb  the  increase,  and  constantly  depress  wages.  Until 
these  are  abolished,  every  facility  of  production,  every  in 
vention  formed  by  human  genius  and  manual  skill,  every 
increase  in  the  wealth  of  the  nation,  will  not  only  not 
alleviate  the  condition  of  labor,  but  will  depress  the  wage- 
earner  more  and  more,  till  he  seeks  refuge  in  death.  This 
is  the  terrible  crime  which  I  have  so  fiercely  denounced 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  II $ 

and  for  which  I  have  been  arraigned  as  an  anarchist.  So 
cialism  would  destroy  the  monopolization  of  opportuni 
ties,  and  divert  the  money,  which  is  now  paid  in  rent,  in 
terest  and  profits,  from  the  coffers  of  the  landlord  and 
capitalist,  to  society." 

"So  you  think  that  free  silver  would  not  have  any  last 
ing  results?"  asked  Miss  Einstein. 

"No,  free  silver  would  not  effect  even  a  temporary  re 
lief,  except  in  certain  lines,  and  even  then  its  advantages 
would  not  be  permanent.  'Money  is  merely  a  contrivance 
for  diminishing  the  friction  of  exchange,'  and  it  is  entirely 
unproductive.  It  is  true  that  it  aids  labor  by  facilitatng 
exchange." 

"Since  money  merely  represents  values,  why  could  not 
the  government  issue  paper  money  instead  of  silver  and 
gold  certificates  ?" 

"Simply  because  paper  in  itself  has  no  value.  If  we 
would  make  our  paper  money  representative  of  something 
that  has  value,  say  a  bushel  of  wheat,  a  paper  dollar  would 
serve  the  same  purpose  as  a  silver  or  gold  dollar.  In  some 
countries  of  antiquity,  wealth  was  estimated  by  kine. 
Taking  a  bushel  of  wheat  for  the  standard  of  value,  a  man 
who  owns  a  thousand  paper  dollars,  would  be  worth  a 
thousand  bushels  of  wheat,  and  he  could  exchange  those 
dollars  for  any  other  commodity,  since  all  wealth  would 
be  measured  by  the  value  of  wheat." 

"But  would  not  wheat  fluctuate,  and  hence  create 
fluctuations  in  money  ?"  questioned  the  young  lady. 

"Wheat  being  taken  as  the  standard  of  value,"  ex 
plained  Isaac,  "all  other  articles  would  fluctuate  accord 
ing  to  the  value  of  wheat,  but  the  value  of  wheat  would 
remain  permanent.  I  will  give  you  an  illustration.  Let 
us  suppose  that  wheat  is  worth  one  dollar  a  bushel,  and 
corn  fifty  cents  a  bushel.  The  next  year  there  is  a  mag 
nificent  crop  of  wheat,  so  that  one  bushel  of  this  cereal 
product  has  not  cost  any  more  labor  than  a  bushel  of  corn. 
Wheat  will  not  fall  to  fifty  cents  a  bushel,  but  the  price  of 
corn  will  be  advanced  to  one  dollar  a  bushel.  And  so  with 
all  other  commodities." 

"What  article  would  you  select  as  the  standard  of 
value  ?'* 


Il6  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

"I  would  establish  a  labor  dollar.  You  see  labor,  after 
all,  is  the  basis  of  our  money  system.  We  call  a  certain 
quantity  of  gold  or  silver,  a  dollar,  because  it  requires  a 
certain  amount  of  labor  to  secure  those  quantities.  Now 
there  is  a  two-fold  disadvantage  in  employing  the  precious 
metals  for  money.  In  the  first  place,  since  the  function  of 
money  consists  in  representing  values  to  facilitate  ex 
change,  we  should  adopt  a  standard  which  does  not  cost 
labor  to  procure,  and  make  it  represent  a  certain  amount 
of  labor,  so  that  it  can  be  redeemed  at  any  time  in  labor, 
or  the  equivalent  in  commodities.  Again,  the  precious 
metals  lose  their  weight  by  friction,  and  this  is  a  loss  with 
out  compensation/' 

"But,  Isaac,  did  you  not  say  that  wheat  could  be  used 
as  a  medium  of  exchange,  and  does  not  wheat  cost  labor  ?" 
inquired  Biddy 

"Yes,"  replied  he,  "but  wheat,  after  being  exchanged, 
can  be  used  as  an  article  of  food,  whereas  the  precious 
metals,  as  money,  have  no  other  quality  besides  their 
representative  character.  If  I  owe  you  a  thousand 
bushels  of  wheat,  I  could  give  you  certificates  for  that 
amount,  redeemable  at  any  time  in  the  granaries  of  the 
nation.  In  the  meantime,  the  wheat  can  be  performing 
its  functions  of  preserving  life.  But  if  I  pay  you  a  thou 
sand  dollars  in  gold  or  silver  certificates,  those  metals 
cannot,  in  themselves,  be  used  as  articles  of  consump 
tion." 

"I  understand  you  thoroughly  now,"  said  the  girl.  "I 
see  that  the  precious  metals  are  expensive  when  used  as 
money.  But  you  forgot  to  explain  to  me  the  labor  dollar." 

"As  money  represents  labor,"  began  Isaac,  "let  us  call 
two  hours'  work  a  dollar,  and  issue  paper  money  of  that 
character  in  small  and  large  denominations.  Those  who 
hold  those  certificates  can  purchase  that  amount  of  labor, 
or  they  can  exchange  them  for  meat  and  clothes  and  other 
articles  of  consumption  ;  for  the  merchant,  receiving  these 
certificates,  will  be  empowered  to  command  the  labor  of 
others.  If  the  government  wishes  to  construct  a  railroad 
from  Deboreh  to  Kidron,  it  could  issue  labor  certificates, 
and  pay  the  men  employed  in  the  construction  of  the  road 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  1 1/ 

with  these  certificates,  which  would  be  accepted  by  any 
merchant  for  his  wares." 

"But  what  would  be  the  redemption  of  these  certifi 
cates  ?"  she  interrupted. 

'The  road,  as  these  certificates  represent  the  labor  and 
material  in  this  road,  and  when  the  line  is  completed,  the 
certificates  could  be  redeemed  in  service.'' 

"O,  that  is  so  simple,  Isaac !"  remarked  his  charming 
pupil.  "It  is  so  strange  that  I  could  not  grasp  that  idea 
at  once." 

Isaac  smiled  and  said: 

"You  see,  my  dear  girl,  you  are  as  yet  young,  and  you 
have  not  devoted  your  time  exclusively  to  the  study  of 
economics,  and  I  do  not  intend  to  flatter  you  when  I  say 
that  your  comprehension  of  my  elucidations  is  remarkable. 
In  a  few  months  you  will  be  able  to  direct  me." 

"Thank  you  for  the  compliment,  Isaac,"  said  Miss 
Einstein,  "but  do  not  allow  me  to  interrupt  your  instruc 
tions." 

"We  could  buy  the  railroads  of  Toadia  with  labor  dol 
lars,  and  redeem  them  with  work,  and  it  would  not  be 
necessary  to  issue  bonds.  If  the  roads  should  cost  three 
billion  dollars,  we  could  issue  that  amount  in  labor  cer 
tificates.  These  certificates  would  gradually  pass  back  to 
the  railroad  in  payment  of  services,  and,  in  the  course  of  a 
few  years,  the  roads  would  be  entirely  free  from  debt. 

"This  species  of  currency  would  destroy  the  necessity 
of  paying  interest,  for  the  large  industries  of  the  nation 
could  be  purchased  and  conducted  by  the  nation  with  labor 
money.  Interest  is  usury,  and  should  not  be  tolerated.  If 
there  were  no  money,  interest  would  be  impossible,  for 
a  person  lending  a  hundred  bushels  of  wheat  would  con 
sider  it  a  favor  to  have  the  same  amount  returned  when 
needed,  for  the  borrower  would  assume  all  responsibility 
of  waste  or  loss,  and  the  lender  would  be  relieved  of  all 
anxiety  and  trouble  in  preserving  the  wheat.  Now  let  us 
apply  this  to  money,  and  we  will  see  the  injustice  of  in 
terest.  The  wheat  would  not  fructify  and  produce  more 
wheat  if  held  in  the  grainary  of  the  lender,  neither  will 
money  breed  money  in  the  safe  of  the  banker." 


Il8  BEYOND  THE  BLACK   OCEAN 

"On  what  principle,  then,  did  interest  originate?" 
queried  Biddy. 

''On  the  principle  that  a  person  with  money/'  replied 
Isaac,  "can  command  labor,  and  as  the  value  of  labor  is 
far  above  the  price  of  labor,  a  large  profit  results  from 
the  transaction.  Let  us  presume  that  I  own  a  shoe  fac 
tory.  I  buy  leather  at  a  certain  figure  and  I  sell  shoes  at 
another  figure.  The  labor  expended  on  the  leather  in 
making  it  into  shoes  is  the  cause  of  the  difference  in  the 
price  of  the  leather  and  the  price  of  the  shoes.  Let  us 
presume  that  this  difference  is  two  dollars,  and  that  the 
wear  and  tear  of  the  machinery  in  making  the  shoes  en 
tails  a  loss  of  twenty-five  cents.  The  difference  of  one 
dollar  and  seventy-five  cents  represent  the  value  of  the 
labor  expended  in  making  the  shoes.  But  if  the  operative 
in  the  shoe  factory  should  receive  that  value  in  full,  there 
would  be  no  inducement  to  the  manufacturer  to  continue 
the  business,  since  there  would  be  no  profits.  But  the 
means  of  production  are  monopolized,  and  laborers  are 
willing  to  sell  their  services  to  those  who  own  the  estab 
lishments.  Labor  becomes  a  commodity  in  the  market, 
and  is  sold,  not  according  to  its  value,  but  according  to 
supply  and  demand.  The  price  of  labor  is  what  it  will 
bring  in  the  market.  The  price  of  labor  can  never  exceed 
or  equal  its  value,  for  then  it  would  be  unprofitable  to 
hire  labor ;  but  when  there  is  large  supply  of  labor,  the 
price  may  fall  far  below  its  value. 

"The  manufacturer  hires  an  operative  for  a  dollar  per 
day.  The  difference  between  the  price  and  the  value  of 
labor  is  the  basis  of  profit,  and  it  pays  men  to  borrow 
money  and  give  interest,  in  order  to  be  enabled  to  com 
mand  these  profits.  If  a  laborer  is  hired  for  one  dollar 
per  day  of  ten  hours,  and  he  can  earn  that  amount  for  his 
employer  in  five  hours,  then  he  gives  five  hours  of  labor 
free,  and  it  is  from  this  free  labor  that  the  employer  makes 
his  profits.  Therefore,  interest  and  profits  exist  on  the 
exploitation  of  labor.  Destroy  the  profit  system,  and  no 
one  will  pay  interest  for  the  use  of  money." 

"I  understand  that  part,  Isaac,  but  I  wish  to  ask  you 
one  question.  Did  you  not  say  that  the  precious  metals 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  ii$ 

depreciate  in  value  owing  to  the  loss  of  weight  from  fric 
tion?" 

"Yes,  Miss  Biddy." 

"Well,  then,"  continued  the  young  lady,  "would  not  the 
product  of  labor,  such  as  railroads,  lose  in  wear  ?" 

"This  is  very  true,"  responded  the  young  editor,  "but 
the  loss  in  wear  is  being  constantly  replaced  by  the  ser 
vices  the  road  renders.  Gold  and  silver  render  service  in 
facilitating  exchange.  Labor  certificates  render  this  ser 
vice,  and  at  the  same  time,  the  products  represented  by 
the  certificates,  such  as  buildings,  factories,  railroads,  ren 
der  a  distinct  service." 

"Isaac,  that  is  so  lucid  that  a  child  could  comprehend 
it,"  said  his  companion.  "But  I  have  one  objection  to  pre 
sent.  Labor  has  different  values,  and  how  would  you  sur 
mount  that  difficulty  ?" 

"Very  easily,"  replied  Isaac.  "We  would  take  com 
mon  labor  as  the  basis  of  our  system,  and  we  could  cal 
culate  the  value  of  skilled  and  professional  labor,  by  add 
ing  a  certain  percentage  to  manual  labor  as  a  compensa 
tion  for  the  necessary  time  and  expense  in  acquiring 
superior  knowledge.  We  will  suppose  that  common  labor 
is  worth  five  dollars  per  day,  and  there  are  three  hundred 
working  days  in  the  year.  We  will  further  presume  that 
it  requires  two  years  to  learn  the  printer's  trade,  during 
which  time  the  apprentice  receives  nothing  for  his  labor. 
The  common  laborer  has  made  three  thousand  dollars  be 
fore  the  printer  obtains  any  compensation  for  his  skill. 
Taking  thirty  years  for  the  average  life  of  a  laborer,  the 
printer  should  receive  one  hundred  dollars  per  year,  or 
ten  per  cent  more  wages  than  the  unskilled  laborer. 
Again,  we  might  make  all  labor  equal,  and  shorten  the 
hours  of  the  working  day  for  the  mechanic,  and  this  would 
be  sufficient  compensation  and  inducement  for  young  men 
to  apply  themselves  to  some  trade." 

"That  is  very  plain,  Isaac,  and  if  you  will  answer  one 
more  objection,  I  will  gladly  surrender,"  said  the  youth 
ful  student. 

"With  pleasure,  Miss  Biddy.  I  like  to  meet  objec 
tions,  for  they  brine^  out  the  beauties  of  the  questions. 
What  is  the  difficulty?" 


120  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

"As  society  advances,  the  powers  of  production  will  be 
enhanced,  and  a  dollar  redeemable  with  a  certain  quantity 
of  labor  will  gradually  have  a  greater  purchasing  power. 
Would  not  the  same  effect  follow  as  when  the  demonetiza 
tion  of  silver  was  accomplished,  which  augmented  the 
purchasing  power  of  gold  ?" 

"By  no  means,"  replied  Isaac.  "The  case  is  entirely 
different.  The  augmentation  of  the  purchasing  power  of 
gold  had  no  effect  on  those  people  who  did  business  on  a 
cash  basis,  but  only  on  the  debtor  and  creditor  class, 
whereas  in  the  co-operative  commonwealth,  borrowing 
and  lending  would  entirely  cease,  and  there  would  be  no 
debtor  or  creditor  class.  Again,  the  price  of  gold  ad 
vanced  in  value  owing  to  its  limited  supply,  and  the  gov 
ernment's  passing  a  law  in  favor  of  the  single  standard, 
the  possession  of  the  yellow  metal  soon  became  a  monoply 
in  the  hands  of  bankers  and  bond-holders.  But  labor, 
being  unlimited  in  its  supply,  can  never  be  monopolized, 
and  since  labor  is  essential  to  human  existence,  its  supply 
will  always  equal  the  desires  of  human  nature.  The  product 
of  labor  is  the  value  of  labor,  and  if  a  day's  labor  will 
produce  ten  dollars  of  merchandise  instead  of  five  dollars, 
we  say  that  labor  has  advanced  in  value/' 

"Yes,  I  see  that,"  said  the  thoughtful  maiden,  "but  the 
difficulty  is  not  yet  solved  to  my  satisfaction.  Mr.  Belder- 
heim  has  stock  in  the  trusts  of  this  country  to  the  value  of 
two  hundred  million  dollars.  Now  the  government  pur 
chasing  his  stock  will  pay  him,  and  heirs,  we  will  say, 
two  milions  annually  for  one  hundred  years.  A  century 
from  now,  two  hours'  labor  will  produce  as  much  as  ten 
hours'  labor,  with  our  means  of  production.  Therefore, 
the  heirs  of  Mr.  Belderheim  will  receive  five  times  the 
amount  due  to  them  in  the  enhanced  efficiency  of  labor." 
"Oh,  now  I  see  your  objection !"  exclaimed  Isaac. 
"That  can  easily  be  remedied.  The  time  of  labor  in  a  labor 
dollar  will  be  regulated  according  to  the  hours  in  a  work 
ing  day.  The  working  day  at  present  is  about  ten  hours. 
When  the  waste  from  useless  competition  is  eliminated  by 
the  government  ownership  of  the  great  industries,  the 
present  working  power,  laboring  five  hours  per  day,  will 
supply  the  nation  with  all  luxuries.  The  working  day  be- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  12! 

ing  reduced  one-half,  the  time  of  labor  in  a  labor  dollar 
will  be  reduced  to  one  hour.  When  the  industries  of  the 
nation  are  throughly  systemized,  the  working  day  will  be 
reduced  to  two  and  one-half  hours,  and  the  time  in  a  labor 
dollar  will  be  reduced  correspondingly.  As  labor  will  be 
employed  only  for  the  purpose  of  supplying  the  require 
ments  of  the  nation,  the  working  day  wrill  be  diminished 
with  every  advance  in  the  efficiency  of  labor  and  the  facil 
ity  of  production;  and  the  time  in  a  labor  dollar  will  be 
likewise  decreased." 

"Isaac,  that  is  so  clear,  but  you  must  pardon  me  for 
imposing  on  your  patience.  Since  we  have  been  discussing 
this  phase  of  the  question,  another  difficulty  presents 
itself.  How  can  we  transact  business  with  foreign  nations 
unless  we  adopt  the  precious  metals  as  a  money  stand 
ard?" 

"If  we  keep  in  mind  the  function  of  money,  the  diffi 
culty  will  vanish  immediately.  Money  is  a  medium  of 
exchange,  and  we  seek  money  because  we  can  exchange  it 
for  all  those  articles  that  satisfy  human  desires.  Since  our 
labor  dollar  will  buy  any  commodity  produced  by  the 
nation,  foreign  traders  can  exchange  it  for  our  products 
in  the  markets  of  the  world,  and  also  for  the  products  of 
all  other  countries,  as  the  merchants  accepting  our  cur 
rency  can  use  it  in  making  other  purchases,  and  it  will 
finally  flow  back  into  this  government  to  be  redeemed  by 
labor." 

Biddy  smiled  and  said : 

"Isaac,  my  difficulties  are  ridiculous  when  I  hear  your 
lucid  explanations.  I  shall  now  read  again  the  back  num 
bers  of  'The  Flaming  Sword,'  where  you  have  so  ably 
treated  the  financial  questions." 

"And  when  I  come  again,"  said  Isaac,  "I  hope  that  you 
will  engage  my  attention  with  the  presentation  of  difficul 
ties  as  you  have  done  this  evening.  I  cannot  say  that  I 
have  ever  enjoyed  more  real  pleasure  in  my  life.  It  is  so 
gratifying  to  observe  the  interest  you  take  in  the  great 
problems  of  the  age." 

As  it  was  now  ten  o'clock,  the  two  young  men  bade 
good-night  to  their  sweethearts  and  wended  their  way 
home. 


122  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

"Say,  Gil,"  said  McGillicuddy,  "do  you  know  that 
Teddv  Einstein  is  desperately  in  love  with  Lucile  Gehthei- 
mer?" 

"The  daughter  of  that  old  hag  we  met  at  the  levee?" 
asked  Isaac. 

"The  very  one,"  said  Abraham,  "and  the  Einsteins  are 
furious." 

"Well,  I  sympathize  with  them.  I  would  not  have  that 
old  dame  for  a  mother-in-law  for  all  the  gold  in  the  world. 
Did  Mary  Ann  tell  you  that  this  evening?" 

"Yes,  while  you  and  Biddy  were  discussing  politics, 
Mary  Ann  and  1  w'ere  speaking  of  domestic  affairs." 

"Domestic  affairs?"  repeated  Isaac.  "Why  you  must 
be  progressing  very  rapidly,  since  you  are  making  prepar 
ations  for  housekeeping." 

"O,  no !  it  is  not  that  far  yet.  However,  there  is  a 
silent  understanding  between  us  that  creates  a  mutual  in 
terest." 

"We  must  have  a  conference  with  Teddy,"  said  Isaac, 
"and  dissuade  him  from  paying  attention  to  Miss 
Gehtheimer.  By  Joe !  it  is  possible  that  Ted  may  be  a 
brother-in-law  some  day,  and  I  would  loathe  to  have  him 
connected  with  that  rude  woman." 

"Oh-ho  !  So  you  are  thinking  of  engaging  new  quar 
ters?  By  Jingo!  Gil,  you  are  a  sly  coon!" 

And  the  two  friends  laughed  heartily  and  entering  the 
hotel,  they  retired  to  their  rooms. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Ezachias  Rosenberger  and  his  son-in-law,  Lord  Uriah, 
who  had  arrived  the  evening  before  in  a  Danish  ship,  had 
finished  their  breakfast  and  retired  to  the  library  to  enjoy 
the  fumes  of  a  cigar.  The  sun  was  sending  his  golden 
shafts  through  the  costly  windows,  and  filling  the  room 
with  iridescent  hues.  The  rich  tapestry  that  decorated  the 
wails,  the  artistic  moulding  of  the  ceiling,  the  superb  fur- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  I»3 

niture,  the  rare  collection  of  books,  the  handsome  Ori 
ental  rugs  that  covered  the  floor,  were  unmistakable  in 
dications  of  wealth.  The  morning  papers  contained  an 
account  of  the  insurrection  which  had  broken  out  in 
Ammon. 

The  two  men  took  their  hats  and  canes  and  went  for  a 
walk  by  the  sea-shore.  As  they  wandered  along  among 
the  toilers  on  the  streets,  they  could  see  hunger  and  dis 
tress  in  their  faces,  but  misery  never  appealed  to  the  heart 
of  Dives.  They  approached  the  strand,  and  they  heard  a 
group  of  idlers  discussing  the  labor  problem,  and  they 
stopped  merely  to  hear  the  conversation,  pretending  that 
they  were  reading  the  papers,  which  they  had  taken  with 
them.  One  of  the  men  said  that  the  condition  of  the  wage- 
earners  is  growing  worse  every  year.  Another  claimed 
that  unless  the  government  act  quickly  in  suppressing 
the  trusts,  and  in  finding  employment  with  fair  compensa 
tion  for  the  toilers,  a  revolution  would  drench  the  nation 
with  blood.  A  third  commented  on  the  last  issue  of  "The 
Flaming  Sword,"  which  ruthlessly  excoriated  Rosen- 
berger,  the  coal  king.  A  fourth  denounced  the  million 
aire,  and  said  that  he  was  revelling  in  luxuries  at  the  ex 
pense  of  his  half-paid  employes.  "His  daughter  is  cutting 
quite  a  swath  in  Danish  society,  and  the  old  fellow  is 
sending  her  millions  every  year  to  keep  her  worthless  hus 
band  out  of  debt.  He  is  the  most  extravagant  spendthrift 
in  Dan,  and  when  he  married  Miss  Rosenberger  he  did 
not  own  one  dollar.  That  cur  has  no  respect  for  Toadian 
blood,  and  the  Rosenbergers  would  sell  their  country's 
honor  for  a  Danish  title.  That  is  the  class  of  people  who 
are  driving  this  country  to  destruction." 

"Well,"  put  in  a  fifth  speaker,  "I  think  Gilhooley  and 
McGillicuddy  will  bring  the  trouble  to  a  crisis  before  long. 
The  Flaming  Sword'  invades  every  district,  and  every 
where  reform  clubs  are  being  organized.  The  laboring  ele 
ment  heretofore  has  been  working  in  vain.  The  unions  did 
a  great  deal  to  keep  up  wages,  but  the  time  is  fast  coming 
when  unions  will  be  powerless.  Machinery  and  the  trusts 
combined  will  dispense  with  two-thirds  of  the  labor  now 
employed,  and  then  the  struggle  for  existence  will  be 
fierce,  and  the  unions  can  do  nothing  to  alleviate  the  dis- 


124  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

tresses  of  life.  Suppose  all  the  laborers  in  the  nation  were 
organized,  and  there  were  five  or  ten  men  for  every  posi 
tion,  what  can  they  do?  Compete  with  each  other  or 
starve." 

"Why  not  lessen  the  hours  of  a  work  day  ?"  suggested 
one. 

"That  would  solve  the  difficulty  if  the  employers  would 
agree  to  adopt  the  measure.  But  if  they  will  not  yield, 
the  laborers  are  at  their  mercy.  Only  the  government  can 
make  these  reforms,  but  the  government  is  now  con 
trolled  by  the  money  power.  The  Flaming  Sword'  is 
forming  a  new  party,  known  as  Socialism,  and  when  this 
party  is  strong  enough  to  elect  a  President  and  Congress, 
the  friends  of  labor,  the  friends  of  humanity,  will  have  it 
in  their  power  to  pass  laws  which  will  guarantee  to  every 
man  the  product  of  his  labor." 

Ezachias  Rosenberger  and  his  son-in-law  moved  on  a 
few  hundred  paces,  and  sat  down  on  a  bench  and  began 
to  muse  on  the  flowing  tide  that  washed  the  sands  of  the 
beach.  The  bay  was  to  the  right,  and  the  masts  of  the 
ocean  steamers  werepointing  to  the  skies,  and  sails  of  many 
vessels  were  spread  to  the  breeze. 

"On  these  shores,"  said  Rosenberger,  "na*y,  on  you 
mighty  rock,  our  fathers  landed  two  hundred  years  ago, 
and  for  five  generations  they  humbly  and  gladly  submit 
ted  to  the  gentle  yoke  of  their  mother  country.  Toadia 
became  the  home  of  the  sturdy  sons  of  toil,  and  the  daunt 
less  spirit  of  enterprise  filled  the  forest  glades  and  moun 
tain  dells.  But  bands  of  rebels  fled  from  the  old  world, 
and,  associating  with  the  loyal  children  of  Dan,  cor 
rupted  the  morals  of  the  people,  and  completely  changed 
their  character.  They  would  not  be  rulel  by  an  alien 
power,  they  said.  They  would  be  represented  in  the  royal 
government.  They  would  have  their  rights.  They  would 
be  independent !  O  independence !  Is  it  independence 
for  a  son  to  rebel  against  the  authority  of  his  father,  and 
burn  the  paternal  roof,  and  murder  his  ancient  sire  ?  And 
such  was  the  independence  of  the  revolutionists. 

"Yon  distant  hill  recalls  the  crime  of  a  nation  when  the 
first  cannon  of  insurrection  boomed  on  its  summit.  For 
years  our  fathers,  goaded  on  by  a  horde-  of  Ephraimites 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  12$ 

and  other  lawless  tribes  engaged  in  a  matricidal  war 
which  resulted  in  the  establishment  of  the  Toadian  Re 
public.  We  hear  much  about  the  goddess  of  liberty.  Yes, 
it  is  liberty  to  start  riots,  and  burn  houses,  and  slaughter 
innocent  people  in  the  streets !  Had  the  empire  of  Dan 
been  perpetuated  in  this  country,  I,  and  others  of  my 
class,  would  be  knighted  lords  and  titled  earls.  We  would 
be  honored  and  obeyed  by  the  plebeian  herds,  that  now 
question  our  authority,  and  violate  our  mandates.  The 
lazy  varlets  that  are  abusing  us,  and  imprecating  curses 
on  the  government,  should  be  tied  to  the  tail  of  a  cart  and 
whipped  through  the  streets  of  Engeddi. 

'The  common  people  are  not  allowed  to  talk  that  way 
in  New  Israel.  The  Danites  always  predicted  that  our 
Republic  would  prove  a  failure,  and  recent  events  show 
the  wisdom  of  their  prophecy.  The  idea  that  people  are 
able  to  govern  themselves !  Only  educated,  intelligent, 
wealthy  people  should  be  enfranchised.  The  Creator  in 
tended  that  one  class  should  rule  and  the  other  obey.  Why, 
these  rebels  even  quote  the  doctrines  of  the  Nazarene  to 
sustain  their  opinion.  Those  books  of  Christianity  im 
ported  to  this  country  by  that  band  of  Irish  refugees,  who 
should  have  been  shot  the  day  they  landed,  have  done  in 
calculable  harm.  It  is  true  that  much  can  be  construed  to 
support  our  claims,  such  as  the  advice  of  Paul,  telling 
servants  to  be  obedient  to  their  masters ;  but  yet  there  is 
much  in  Christianity  that  favors  independence,  for  exam 
ple,  the  teaching  that  all  men  are  equal,  inculcating  the 
brotherhood  of  man ;  and  those  accursed  principles  have 
had  a  potent  influence  on  the  ignorant  masses.  The  only 
salvation  for  our  country  is  the  royal  scepter. 

"Regal  power  is  begotten  in  Heaven,  and  it  is  the  only 
divinely  established  government.  All  through  our  sacred 
books  we  read  of  kings,  but  not  a  word  about  presidents. 
Earth  should  be  like  unto  Heaven,  where  the  multitude 
stand  in  awe  before  the  radiant  throne.  There  was  never 
but  one  strike  in  Heaven,  and  the  strikers  were  at  once 
cast  out  into  exterior  darkness.  They  were  hurled  like 
stones  from  the  battlements  of  the  royal  city  into  liquid 
flames  and  their  torments  shall  ascend  forever  and  ever. 
The  decisive  step  taken  by  the  Omnipotent  Ruler  struck 


126  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

terror  into  the  hearts  of  the  rebellious  spirits,  and  since 
that  time  not  a  murmur  has  ever  marred  the  peace  and 
bliss  of  the  Eternal  Kingdom. 

"But  how  can  we  establish  an  empire  here  on  the  foun 
dation  of  a  Republic  ?  There  are  no  qualifications  for  citi 
zenship  except  birth  and  naturalization,  and  the  franchise 
is  enjoyed  by  every  citizen.  However,  we  could  bribe  the 
electors,  and  by  their  co-operation  have  our  choice  pro 
claimed  President,  and  then  we  could  bribe  Congress 
and  the  Senate  to  crown  him  with  the  royal  diadem.  This 
could  all  be  accomplished  by  a  liberal  expenditure,  for 
we  have  succeeded  in  buying  the  services  of  State  Legis 
latures  and  the  national  government  for  years,  and  by  the 
agency  of  legal  enactments  we  have  been  enabled  to  mul 
tiply  our  wealth  until  now  we  own  the  country.  But  I 
fear  that  any  attempt  to  enthrone  monarchy  on  the  Altar 
of  Liberty,  as  it  is  vainly  and  erroneously  styled,  would 
precipitate  a  civil  war.  Our  present  standing  army  is  too 
insignificant  to  crush  an  insurrection,  and  we  dare  not 
increase  it  in  time  of  peace.  The  canaille  would  clamor 
against  a  mighty  armed  force  unless  required  to  defend 
the  honor  of  the  nation.  Have  they  not  already  boldly 
asserted  that  it  is  one  of  the  glories  of  a  free  government 
that  it  is  not  taxed  like  monarchial  countries  in  support 
ing  idle  men  for  the  sake  of  guarding  their  safety  against 
the  influx  of  mailed  legions  ?  We  have  no  colonies,  and, 
therefore,  we  are  not  complicated  by  foreign  alliances, 
and  escape  the  embroglios  of  foreign  governments.  It 
would  be  perilous  to  magnify  the  army  and  navy  without 
necessity." 

"Yes,"  said  Lord  Uriah,  who  had  been  listening  at 
tentively  to  Rosenberger's  vagaries,  "that  is  a  difficult 
question  to  solve." 

"But  we  can  delude  the  rabble,"  continued  Rosenber- 
ger,"  by  pursuing  a  machiavelian  policy.  The  Ammon 
ites  have  rebelled  against  the  supremacy  of  Reuben,  and 
now  we  will  subsidize  the  Press  to  inflame  the  populace 
with  horrid  details  of  the  atrocities  committed  by  the 
government  of  Tirzah  in  suppressing  the  aspirations  of  a 
liberty-loving  nation.  The  voice  of  the  multitude  will  de 
mand  Toadia  to  befriend  the  cause  of  the  Ammonites, 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  127 

and  this  will  embroil  us  with  the  mother  country.  Reuben 
is  comparatively  a  weak  country.  She  has  only  seventeen 
millions  of  subjects,  whereas  our  population  is  more  than 
quadruple  that  number.  Our  navy  is  more  modern  and 
better  equipped,  and  a  million  of  churls  and  bumpkins  will 
offer  their  services  on  the  field  of  battle.  It  will  be  a 
struggle  for  liberty,  and  of  course  the  ignorant  louts  will 
expose  their  lives  to  the  smoky  cannon  and  polished  steel 
for  the  honor  that  will  deck  the  soldier's  brow. 

"We  can  afford  to  remain  at  home  in  our  luxurious 
palaces,  and  write  long  communications  to  the  press  about 
the  bravery  of  Toadian  heroes,  and  the  empire  of  free 
dom,  and  the  flight  of  the  Eagle  and  the  goddess  of  lib 
erty,  and  thus  inflame  the  nation  with  our  platitudes  and 
fustian.  And  while  the  warrior  is  bleeding  on  the  field  of 
carnage,  and  the  nation  is  thrilled  with  victory,  we  can 
speculate  in  stocks  and  bonds,  emphasize  the  necessity 
of  the  gold  standard,  as  illustrated  in  our  present  crisis, 
double  our  wealth  in  a  few  months,  and  have  ample  leisure 
to  mature  our  schemes  for  future  conquest. 

"In  the  meantime  we  will  incite  the  Heronites  to  imi 
tate  the  example  of  the  Ammonites,  and  that  will  bring 
the  war  to  the  Moabitic  waters,  and  it  will  result  in  the 
extermination  of  Reubenic  domination  in  the  east  and 
the  annexation  of  the  islands  to  the  Toadian  Republic. 
Then  we  will  form  an  alliance  with  Dan,  laud  the  mag 
nanimity  of  our  cousins  beyond  the  Sea  of  Abraham,  re 
fer  to  our  common  language  and  common  origin,  and 
emphasize  the  fact  that  blood  is  thicker  than  water,  dilate 
on  the  glory  of  expansion  and  the  sublime  mission  im 
posed  on  us  by  the  God  of  nations  to  assimilate  other  peo 
ples,  and  bear  the  blessings  of  civilization  to  the  ends  of 
the  earth  in  the  formation  of  a  world-wide  empire.  Lib 
erty,  humanity  and  civilization,  this  shall  be  our  motto, 
and  millions  will  be  duped  by  our  intrigues,  and  enroll 
themselves  under  the  banner  of  imperialism. 

"Under  the  plea  of  conquering  the  flag  of  Reuben, 
and  driving  the  despot  beyond  the  main,  we  can  afford 
to  increase  our  army  to  one  hundred  thousand.  Later  on 
we  will  augment  it  to  two  hundred  thousand.  Gradually 
we  will  curtail  the  liberties  of  the  people,  declare  strikes 


128  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

illegal,  reduce  wages  by  legislative  decrees  and  compel 
laborers  to  toil  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  Then  we  can, 
during  the  next  administration,  bribe  Congress  to  extend 
the  term  of  office  to  a  period  of  eight  years,  and  formally 
declare  the  present  incumbent  duly  authorized  to  exercise 
his  functions  as  Chief  Executive  for  four  years  more.  Of 
course  this  is  not  constitutional,  but  the  Press  will  explain 
it  to  the  people  that  it  is  for  the  advancement  of  the  na 
tion,  and  the  storm  will  soon  blow  over.  At  the  end  of 
the  second  term  our  movement  will  be  advanced  so  far 
that  we  can  proclaim  the  President  of  Toadia  the  Emperor 
of  the  West. " 

"Then  let  the  brood  of  vipers  dare  raise  their  voice 
against  our  authority !  We  will  butcher  them  on  the 
streets.  We  will  chain  them  in  gangs  and  make  them  toil 
under  the  stroke  of  the  lash,  or  be  shot  down  like  mad 
dogs !  Ah,  yes !  and  my  son  may  yet  be  the  monarch  of 
a  broad  empire,  or  my  daughter  may  reign  as  a  queen  in 
the  imperial  mansion.  Happy  thoughts,  Ezachias  !  Thou 
art  destined  to  walk  through  royal  halls  and  pass  through 
doors  that  roll  on  golden  hinges !"  • 

Lord  Uriah  clapped  the  old  man  on  the  shoulder  and 
said: 

"Father,  how  would  it  read  in  the  papers  that  all  the 
royal  houses  of  New  Israel  were  represented  at  the  coro 
nation  of  Uriah,  the  first  Emperor  of  Toadia?" 

"It  would  be  music  to  my  ears !  Let  us  go  home  and 
mature  our  plans/' 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  election  took  place  in  November,  1855,  and  the 
Protectionist  party,  with  a  gold  standard  platform,  was 
placed  in  power.  The  war  between  Reuben  and  Ammon 
was  waging  fiercely,  and  the  Herodites  had  augmented  the 
difficulty  of  the  mother  country  by  declaring  their  inde 
pendence,  and  taking  the  field  in  the  assertion  of  their 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  1 29 

liberties.  The  Toadian  press  contained  daily  recitals  of 
fiendish  cruelties  inflicted  on  the  Ammonites  by  the  offi 
cers  of  the  Reubenic  army.  The  people  were  inflamed 
with  passion.  Speeches  were  made  all  over  the  country 
by  lecturers  and  politicians,  demanding  the  recognition 
of  the  Ammonite  belligerency.  Congress  was  petitioned 
by  every  religious  denomination  in  the  land  to  hearken 
to  the  cry  of  liberty  that  arose  from  the  neighboring  isle, 
and  annihilate  the  power  of  the  Reubenic  nation.  Danish 
statesmen  urged  the  adoption  of  the  measure,  and  Dan 
ish  journals  pleaded  with  the  Republic  of  the  West  to 
champion  the  cause  of  humanity  and  civilization. 

The  Deboreh  Herald,  which  represented  the  national 
sentiment,  emphasized  the  fact  that  Dan  and  Toadia  were 
the  greatest  powers  on  the  globe.  "We  are  destined  to 
conquer  the  world.  What  is  Reuben  and  the  sister  na 
tions  in  the  southern  part  of  New  Israel?  Decayed  and 
defunct.  Ignorance  and  bigotry  have  marked  them  for 
destruction.  They  are  passing  away.  Their  fate  is  sealed, 
and  the  historian  of  the  future  will  not  weep  over  their 
tombs.  They  are  like  the  lost  empires  of  antiquity.  Go 
back  through  the  shadows  that  encircle  the  early  ages, 
and  what  do  you  find  ?  Mighty  kingdoms  that  seemed  to 
be  eternal  in  durability.  Zaron  had  reached  the  zenith 
of  glory,  when  the  children  of  Israel  were  nomadic  tribes. 
But  where  is  Zaron  now?  Come  forth,  ye  mighty  lords 
of  the  east,  and  tell  us  whither  has  vanished  your  power. 
Come  forth,  ye  potentates  who  built  temples  and  shrines 
that  have  been  the  wonder  of  ages ;  come  forth,  ye  con 
querors  and  chieftains  of  the  Orient ;  ye  men  who  immor 
talized  the  shores  of  the  Tabor,  and  Ekron  by  erection  of 
cities  that  rival  the  dreams  of  bards !  Come  forth,  ye 
sages  of  Gath,  ye  warriors  of  Gerar,  and  tell  us  the  his 
tory  of  your  fall,  the  story  of  your  entombment.  It  was 
ignorance  and  bigotry.  It  was  corruption  and  slavery. 

"Such  a  fate  will  inhume  the  once  mighty  name  of 
Reuben  beneath  the  debris  of  ages.  She  is  destined  to  be 
swept  away  by  the  march  of  civilization,  and  the  progres 
sive  nations  of  the  earth  will  laugh  at  her  destruction. 
The  Danish  speaking  peoples  have  been  selected  by  the 
wisdom  of  the  eternal  to  conquer  all  nations,  and  convey 


130  BEYOND  THE   BLACKOCEAN 

the  blessings  of  humanity  and  civilization  to  those  that 
are  lingering  in  the  chains  of  thraldom,  to  the  benighted 
lands  of  the  east  and  west,  north  and  south.  The  old 
enmity  is  forgotten.  The  mother  welcomes  her  child 
again  to  the  parental  roof.  Dan  and  Toadia  are  forever 
linked  in  friendship.  We  could  not  overcome  the  love 
begotten  of  a  common  origin.  The  wrongs  of  the  past 
are  amended,  and  like  noble  men  our  embrace  reaches 
across  the  chasm  of  two  generations  with  the  affection  of 
long-separated  friends  who  have  met  again.  Let  Reuben 
be  crushed.  Let  her  flag  be  pulled  down  from  the  capital 
of  Ammon.  Let  her  navy  be  swept  off  the  seas>.  Let  her 
empire  be  broken  asunder,  and  let  the  people,  who  have 
long  suffered  under  her  yoke,  cast  away  the  gyves  of 
bondage,  and  rejoice  in  their  new-born  liberty." 

"The  Flaming  Sword"  took  part  in  the  discussion  of 
the  question.  On  the  second  of  March  a  lengthy  article 
appeared  in  that  able  journal,  and  its  publication  created 
a  profound  sensation  in  the  remotest  villages  of  the  Re 
public. 

"Men  are  clamoring  for  war  with  Reuben,  and  I  do 
not  hesitate  to  denounce  the  spirit  which  actuates  them  as 
ungrateful  and  dastardly.  A  little  more  than  half  a  cen 
tury  ago  the  cry  of  justice  went  up  from  the  lips  of  twenty 
millions  of  oppressed  people  to  the  throne  of  mercy,  and 
the  God  of  freedom  moved  the  hearts  of  our  ancestors  to 
strike  the  blow  for  national  emancipation.  Who  was  the 
cruel  tyrant  that  pursued  our  yeomen  with  lance  and 
spear  and  battle  ax  ?  Who  was  the  despot  who  said  you 
shall  have  no  voice  in  legislative  halls,  and  you  shall  be 
taxed  to  support  the  army  and  navy  of  a  foreign  land,  an 
army  that  has  lighted  camp-fires  in  every  valley,  that  has 
hunted  the  goddess  of  liberty  from  every  shore ;  a  navy 
that  had  swept  the  seas  in  search  of  plunder,  and  has 
crimsoned  every  wave  with  human  gore?  That  despot 
was  Dan.  She  invaded  every  right  which  nature  and  the 
God  of  nations  had  given  to  the  colonies. 

"The  little  republics  of  the  West  had  been  formed  by 
sturdy  men  who  had  been  driven  from  the  Old  World 
by  governmental  oppression,  and  they  came  here  to  build 
the  temple  of  liberty  amidst  the  tall  pine  trees  and  itately 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  131 

oaks  of  the  wild,  unbroken  wood.  They  had  braved  the 
dangers  of  the  great  primeval  forests,  rilled  with  wild 
beasts  and  savage  foemen.  They  cleared  away  the  woods, 
built  the  cabin  and  the  home,  the  hamlet  and  the  town. 
They  navigated  the  majestic  streams,  explored  the  vast 
regions,  became  familiar  with  all  the  hills  and  vales,  and 
all  the  lakes  and  mountains  of  the  western  world.  The 
commercial  city  rose  in  the  wilderness,  where  a  few  years 
ago  the  roar  of  the  lion  and  the  shout  of  the  huntsman 
were  the  only  sounds  that  ever  broke  the  wail  of  the 
woods  or  mingled  with  the  voice  of  the  streams.  When 
the  time  came  for  reaping  the  benefits  from  the  sweat  and 
blood  of  the  noble  republicans  of  the  West,  the  Danish 
king  was  not  slow  to  utilize  these  advantages.  The  mother 
land  imposed  every  burden  on  the  colonies,  and  deprived 
them  of  every  constitutional  right,  preparing  to  make 
this  country  the  servile  slave  of  despotism.  In  those  days 
Simeon  and  Reuben  were  our  friends,  and  by  their  as 
sistance  we  won  the  battle  of  freedom  and  the  goddess  of 
liberty  was  enthroned  in  our  national  halls. 

"Fifty  years  have  rolled  away,  and  the  scene  is  totally 
changed.  Reuben  is  now  our  enemy,  Simeon  is  our  sup 
posed  enemy,  and  Dan  is  our  darling  friend.  Shades  of 
the  immortal  heroes  of  the  Revolution !  arise  from  your 
peaceful  slumbers,  and  denounce  the  cowardice,  the  ser 
vility  and  the  hypocrisy  of  our  age  and  nation !  The  men 
of  1800  have  passed  away,  leaving  no  progeny  to  uphold 
the  honor  of  our  flag.  Reuben  has  acceded  to  all  the  de 
mands  of  this  government  in  alleviating  the  situation  in 
Ammon.  I  am  in  favor  of  liberty,  and  I  think  every  peo 
ple  should  be  entitled  to  free  government,  and  I  admire 
the  expression  of  our  people  on  behalf  of  the  Ammonitic 
emancipation,  but  I  condemn  the  sentiment  that  actuates 
those  expressions.  Is  it  sympathy  for  the  enthralled  sub 
jects  of  Reuben  ?  If  so,  why  not  unfurl  the  banner  of  our 
nation  in  a  war  of  universal  emancipation,  and  sheathe 
not  the  sword  till  the  Toadian  eagles  scream  above  the 
citadel  of  despotism,  and  the  God  of  Democracy  speaks  to 
the  enchained  multitudes,  calling  on  them  to  doff  the  liv 
ery  of  servitude,  and  celebrate  their  victory  in  the  temple 
of  liberty? 


132  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

'The  Ephraimites1  have  been  crushed  by  Danish  lords, 
and  hunted  by  Danish  myrmidons  for  three  hundred 
years.  Their  homes  have  been  burnt,  their  fields  laid 
waste,  fathers  have  been  massacred,  sons  have  been  as 
sassinated,  their  religious  convictions  have  been  outraged, 
the  sacred  bond  of  matrimony  has  been  ruthlessly  broken, 
their  altars  have  been  consigned  to  the  flames,  their 
Rabbis  have  been  pursued  like  wild  beasts.  They  came 
to  our  land  to  enjoy  the  blessings  of  liberty,  and  they  have 
fought  for  the  honor  of  our  flag  from  the  day  that  the 
first  cannon  announced  the  conflict  for  independence,  till 
the  Eagle  of  the  West  chased  the  Lion  of  the  East  to  his 
forest  glades  and  mountain  dells. 

"When  the  war  of  1810  was  proclaimed,  Ephraimitic 
soldiers  enlisted  in  our  army,  Ephraimitic  sailors  came  to 
our  navy,  and  Ephraimitic  generals  led  our  legions  to 
matchless  triumphs.  Again,  in  1826,  when  the  Confed^ 
eracy  menaced  the  stability  of  the  western  empire,  and 
the  Union  was  tottering  on  its  foundation,  Ephraimitic 
blood  was  copiously  shed  for  the  cause  of  freedom  and  the 
durability  of  the  Republic.  Why  not  proclaim  our  alle 
giance  to  the  cause  of  Ephraimitic  liberty  and  notify  Dan 
to  relinquish  her  claims  upon  that  island  within  a  speci 
fied  time?  Is  it  because  Dan  is  a  powerful  nation  that  we 
can  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  the  lamentations  of  Ephraim  ?  Did 
our  ancestors  ever  suffer  such  torture  in  their  captivity? 
Did  their  wails  on  the  rivers  of  Babylon  ever  awaken  in 
the  souls  of  their  prophets  more  pathetic  appeals,  more 
desponding  eloquence,  than  the  miseries  of  Ephraim  have 
stirred  the  spirit  of  her  bards  and  orators  ?  Let  us,  there 
fore,  be  just,  and  proclaim  the  independence,  not  only  of 
Ammon,  but,  also,  of  Ephraim.  But  the  money  kings  of 
the  Republic  are  anxious  for  an  alliance  with  the  Danish 
throne,  with  the  hope  that  the  alliance  may  grow  into  a 
union  and  Toadia  become  a  land  of  nobility." 

A  strange  religious  party  had  originated  in  Toadia  a 
few  years  previously  to  the  time  of  which  we  speak.  This 
party  was  opposed  to  the  old  Hebrew  cult,  and  it  vowed 
to  destroy  it  by  the  application  of  every  means.  The  party 
was  known  as  the  Toadian  Protective  Association,  and 
the  members  were  called  "T.  P.  A.'s."  Their  object  was 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  133 

to  protect  Toadian  interests  from  the  usurpation  of  the 
Hebrew  religion,  and  they  were  to  use  the  dagger  when 
their  purpose  could  not  be  accomplished  by  milder  means. 
The  party  was  solicitous  about  the  war  for  two  reasons. 
The  Hebrew  altar  was  still  venerated  in  Reuben,  and  the 
old  religion  was  the  only  form  of  worship  that  existed  in 
the  kingdom.  Again,  the  T.  P.  A.'s  thought  that  the 
Ephraimites,  who  were  staunch  adherents  of  the  ancient 
creed,  would  betray  their  country  from  religious  motives, 
and  thus  furnish  the  government  with  ample  evidence  of 
the  pernicious  results  of  Hebrew  teaching,  and  the  perils 
of  tolerating  that  worship  in  Toadia. 

While  the  press  was  inflaming  the  people  with  glaring 
accounts  of  Reubenic  atrocities,  the  ignoble  character  of 
the  Reubenites,  their  cowardice  and  cruelty,  their  thirst 
for  blood,  their  insensibility  to  the  suffering  of  their  col 
onists,  filibustering  expeditions  were  daily  arranged  and 
executed  with  the  connivance  of  the  Federal  Government. 
Insincere  attempts  were  made  to  prevent  these  unfriendly 
manifestations  to  the  Reuben  government  in  Ammon ;  but 
the  whole  world  knew  that  the  authorities  were  cognizant 
of  every  movement  in  that  direction. 

At  the  solicitation  of  the  people,  and  the  pleading  of 
the  press  calling  on  Congress  to  protect  the  lives  of  Toa 
dian  citizens,  who  were  in  the  greatest  peril  from  Reu 
benic  hostility,  the  battleship  Tyre  was  ordered  to  Am- 
monitic  waters.  On  the  thirty-first  of  May  the  an 
nouncement  ran  over  the  wires  to  every  part  of  the  coun 
try  that  the  Tyre  had  been  destroyed.  Citizens  of  all 
classes  armed  themselves  and  cried  for  the  blood  of  every 
living  Reubenite.  A  committee  was  sent  to  investigate 
the  cause  of  the  disaster,  and  they  reported  that  it  was  a 
mystery  that  could  not  be  solved.  The  deputation  con 
sisted  of  Solomon  Levi,  David  Loveheart  and  Jacob 
Jonas.  These  gentlemen  were  besieged  on  their  return 
from  Ammon,  but  they  were  unanimous  in  maintaining 
that  the  cause  of  the  explosion  could  not  be  ascertained, 
and  if  it  were  the  work  of  a  premeditated  plot,  the  agent 
of  the  dastardly  deed  would  never  be  known. 

But  the  press  maintained  that  it  was  a  Reubenic  con 
spiracy,  and  the  people  called  for  vengeance.  Congress 


134.  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

acted  unanimously,  and  war  was  proclaimed.  As  Toadia 
had  four  times  the  army  and  navy,  and  fifty  times  the  re 
sources  of  Reuben,  the  struggle  ended  in  less  than  three 
months,  with  the  establishment  of  a  provisional  govern 
ment  in  Ammon,  and  the  promise  of  independence  at  some 
future  time,  when  the  people  were  far  enough  advanced 
in  civilization  to  be  entrusted  with  the  exercise  of  author 
ity.  In  the  conflict  between  the  two  powers,  the  Toadian 
fleet  in  the  Moabitic  seas  attacked  and  totally  demolished 
the  Reubenic  fleet  on  the  shores  of  Heron,  and,  with  the 
assistance  of  the  natives,  the  Reubenic  forces  on  the  land 
were  conquered. 

The  Heronites  looked  upon  the  Eagles  as  the  emblem 
of  freedom,  and  they  thought  when  that  flag  was  erected 
on  the  battlements  of  their  cities,  that  foreign  domination 
was  forever  ended.  But  they  found  that  they  had  only 
exchanged  masters,  and  that  the  new  power  that  was  en 
throned  on  the  land  was  far  more  cruel  and  despotic  than 
the  ancient  regime. 

The  dual  conspiracy  formed  in  the  fertile  brains  of 
Lord  Aran  and  Ezechias  Rosenberger  had  been  success 
fully  executed,  and  the  fiends  behind  the  curtain  were 
dreaming  of  the  empire  that  would  rise  on  the  altar  of 
freedom's  temple,  above  the  altar  of  Democracy.  The 
blood  of  heroes  on  the  battlefield,  the  wail  of  mothers 
weeping  over  the  death  of  their  sons,  the  cry  of  orphans 
expressing  their  grief  for  the  loss  of  fathers,  went  on  un 
heard  by  the  lord  and  his  minion.  The  Hebrews  fought 
bravely  for  Ammonitic  independence,  and  their  valor 
won  the  admiration  of  all  fair-minded  Toadians,  while  the 
T.  P.  A.'s  shrank  into  obscurity,  and  pined  away  in  their 
chagrin  that  the  machinations  they  had  matured  for  the 
destruction  of  the  ancient  creed,  had  proved  a  fiasco. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

About  the  middle  of  February,  1857,  a  tall,  handsome 
gentleman  of  aristocratic  appearance,  stepped  into  the 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  135 

Theban  Hotel,  and  registered  as  Lord  Jesse,  from  the 
Kingdom  of  Dan.  His  appearance  at  once  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  guests,  and  his  identity  was  soon  estab 
lished.  After  he  was  assigned  to  his  room,  he  presented 
his  card,  and  asked  to  see  Mr.  Gilhooley  and  Mr.  McGilli- 
cuddy.  The  two  gentlemen  had  just  finished  supper,  and 
were  preparing  to  return  to  their  office,  when  they  were 
informed  that  Lord  Jesse  wished  to  see  them.  On  enter 
ing  the  parlor,  they  found  the  nobleman  waiting,  who  im 
mediately  advanced,  and  said : 

"I  hope  I  have  the  distinguished  honor  of  meeting  the 
editors  of  'The  Flaming  Sword?' ''' 

The  compliment  was  reciprocated  by  the  journalists, 
and  soon  the  gentlemen  were  engaged  in  the  discussion  of 
current  topics. 

"I  heard  of  you  and  your  admirable  paper/'  said  the 
lord,  "when  I  arrived  in  Engeddi  a  few  weeks  ago.  You 
seem  to  be  transforming  the  nation.  I  am  in  sympathy 
with  the  movement.  While  yet  a  boy,  I  became  familiar 
nvith  the  conditions  of  the  laboring  people  in  the  Danish 
coal  mines,  and  I  have  spent  much  money  in  attempting 
to  introduce  these  reforms  in  our  kingdom.  But  I  met 
with  intense  opposition,  not  only  from  the  aristocracy  and 
wealthy  class  at  large,  but  even  my  own  people  have  re 
nounced  me.  However,  I  have  my  fortune  secured,  and 
I  am  independent  of  the  world,  and  I  came  to  this  country 
with  the  hope  of  promoting  the  cause  of  humanity ;  for  I 
believe  that  this  broad  Republic,  where  every  man  has  the 
right  to  vote,  and  where  the  gift  of  liberty  is  jealousy 
guarded,  is  a  vast  field  to  prosecute  the  good  work." 

"Lord  Jesse,"  said  Gilhooley,  "it  is  really  gratifying  to 
hear  the  expression  of  such  noble  sentiments,  especially  in 
a  man  of  your  birth  and  prestige.  I  readily  appreciate  the 
sacrifices  you  are  making  in  behalf  of  freedom.  In  the  first 
place,  you  were  born  and  educated  under  the  influence  of 
monarchial  institutions ;  and  being  a  member  of  the 
Danish  nobility,  you  were  compelled,  at  the  very  dawn  of 
your  reform  career,  to  turn  your  back  on  the  parental 
home,  renounce  the  pleasures  that  dwell  in  the  castle, 
forego  the  influence  of  your  home,  and  trample  on  the 
hallowed  traditions  of  your  family  and  the  time-honored 


136  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

customs  of  your  country.  We  welcome  you  to  our  shores, 
and  we  glady  initiate  you  in  the  Socialism  of  the  Toadian 
Republic." 

"And  I,  too,"  said  McGillicuddy,  "congratulate  you, 
and  welcome  you  to  the  ranks  of  the  new  party.  I  know 
that  your  efforts  will  contribute  marvelously  to  the  en 
thronement  of  human  liberty,  which  has  been  crushed  in 
our  land  by  money  kings  and  their  sympathizers.  You 
have  the  royalty  of  blood,  and  we  have  the  royalty  of  gold  ; 
and  the  latter  exercises  all  the  despotism  of  the  former 
without  any  of  its  redeeming  features.  We  speak  of  free 
dom,  but  the  only  freedom  now  enjoyed  by  the  masses  of 
the  country  is  the  freedom  to  curse,  and  they  will  soon  be 
deprived  of  that. 

"There  is  a  movement  in  progress  here  to  subvert  re 
publican  institutions,  and  establish  an  empire.  The  recent 
war  with  Reuben  was  waged  for  that  purpose,  and  the 
people  are  beginning  to  discern  what  has  actuated  the 
government  in  its  participation  in  the  struggle  of  the 
Ammonite  insurgents.  The  measure  was  adopted  for  the* 
purpose  of  augmenting  the  standing  army  and  expanding 
our  dominions,  and  when  this  is  accomplished  the  soldiers 
now  crimsoning  the  vales  of  Heron  with  the  blood  of  free 
men  seeking  independence,  will  be  marshalled  against  the 
natives  of  this  land,  and  the  establishment  of  an  empire  will 
be  the  crowning  coup  d'  etat  of  this  pharisaical  parade  of 
patriotism,  and  the  presumptuous  claim  that  our  nation 
is  destined,  by  the  fiat  of  high  heaven,  to  encircle  the  globe, 
and  erect  the  altar  of  liberty  in  every  land." 

"Why,  do  you  think  they  would  imperil  their  lives  by 
such  temerity?"  asked  Lord  Jesse. 

"Imperil  their  lives  ?  What  can  a  conquered  people  do 
when  they  are  confronted  by  cannon  and  bayonet  ?  There 
are  not  a  braver  people  on  earth  to-day  than  the  Ephraim- 
ites,  and  yet  they  are  held  in  subjection  by  the  soldiery  of 
the  Danish  empire." 

"To  give  you  an  illustration,"  remarked  Isaac,  "of  how 
liberty  is  ignored  by  this  government,  I  will  cite  a  few 
facts.  Several  months  ago  there  was  a  strike  on  the  Jor 
dan  Valley  Railroad,  and  the  chief  executive  of  the  Broth 
erhood  of  Engineers  ordered  the  engineers  on  the  eight 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  137 

connecting  lines  to  assist  the  Jordan  Valley  strikers ;  and 
the  result  was  that  instant  action  was  taken  to  give  up 
work  on  all  the  lines,  if  the  Jordan  Valley  freight  were 
handled.  The  object  of  this  movement  was  to  force  those 
lines  to  reject  Jordan  Valley  freight,  and  compel  that  road 
to  come  to  an  agreement  with  the  engineers.  There  was 
no  malice,  no  violence,  no  fraud.  The  matter  was  brought 
before  the  Supreme  Court  of  Toadia,  the  eight  connecting 
lines  claiming  that  the  action  of  the  engineers  was  a  viola 
tion  of  the  inter-state  commerce  law  ;  and  while  the  court 
decided  that  the  men  had  a  right  to  quit  when  they  wished, 
'.But  so  long  as  the  employe  remains  in  his  employment, 
the  law  can  compel  him  to  do  his  whole  duty ;  a  part  of 
his  duty,  when  employed  on  an  inter-state  line,  is  to  grant 
equal  facilities  to  connecting  lines.'  By  promulgating  the 
order  to  quit,  the  chief  executive  of  the  Brotherhood  of 
Engineers  and  the  men  are  guilty  of  'a  conspiracy  to  pro 
cure  the  officials  of  the  connecting  lines  to  violate  the  act. 
Again  they  are  civilly  liably  to  the  Jordan  Valley  for  the 
conspiracy/ 

"I  will  give  you  a  couple  of  other  decisions  of  the  Su 
preme  Court.  The  State  against  Mulcahy  decided  that  for 
men  to  combine  and  notify  the  employer  that  they  will  quit 
unless  certain  fellow-workmen  are  discharged,  is  indicta 
ble  conspiracy.  The  same  decision  was  rendered  in  the 
case  of  Levi  versus  Reinan." 

"You  really  astonish  me  with  these  citations,  Mr.  Gil- 
hooley,"  said  Lord  Jesse.  "I  knew  that  there  was  a  spirit 
of  antagonism  against  the  usurpation  of  capital,  and  this 
was  retaliated  by  the  adoption  of  drastic  measures,  but  I 
did  not  deem  that  the  highest  tribunal  in  the  land  would 
tarnish  its  character  for  honesty  by  such  unjust  decisions." 

"The  highest  tribunal  as  well  as  the  lowest,"  inter 
posed  Abraham,  "can  be  bribed,  and  that  is  ample  evidence 
of  our  political  deterioration." 

"The  same  conditions  existed  in  Rome,  according  to 
the  literature  that  has  been  preserved  of  that  fallen  em 
pire,"  said  Lord  Jesse.  "But  a  few  good  men  like  you  and 
Mr.  Gilhooley  will  purify  the  nation/' 

"We  hope,  Lord  Jesse,"  said  Isaac,  "that  you  will  give 
some  assistance  to  The  Flaming  Sword,'  and  by  our 


1.38  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

united  power,  its  point  will  pierce  the  heart  of  every  tyrant 
and  every  renegade  from  ocean  to  ocean." 

"With  your  permission,"  replied  Lord  Jesse,  "I  shall 
be  a  frequent  contributor  to  its  columns." 

"We  offer  you  carte-blanche,  and  hope  that  you  will 
utilize  the  privilege,"  said  the  editors,  in  unison,  and  Lord 
Jesse  bade  them  good-evening,  with  the  promise  of  un 
failing  fidelity  to  the  cause  of  justice  and  truth. 

The  next  morning  the  leading  papers  devoted  more 
than  a  column  to  the  arrival  and  history  of  the  Danish 
nobleman.  His  genealogy  was  traced  back  more  than 
seven  hundred  years,  and  his  coat-of-arms  was  engraved 
and  minutely  described  by  the  able  journalists.  Many  dis 
tinguished  people  paid  a  visit  to  the  hotel,  and  presented 
their  cards  to  Lord  Jesse,  who  received  them  most  cordially, 
and  gracefully  responded  to  the  invitations  which  they 
extended.  Levees  and  soirees,  banquets  and  entertain 
ments,  receptions  and  theatricals,  were  honored  with  his 
presence,  and  the  bon-ton  society  of  Deboreh  spent  every 
effort  to  gain  the  esteem  of  the  distinguished  visitant. 

One  evening  he  was  entertained  at  the  Jordan  Club, 
and  the  fashionable  people  of  the  city  were  in  attendance. 
Mrs.  Gehtheimer,  as  usual,  forced  herself  to  the  front,  and 
received  an  invitation  to  be  present  on  the  occasion. 
Lucile  was  with  her  mother,  and  the  old  dame  thought  that 
her  hour  had  come  when  the  scion  of  her  house  would  be 
honored  with  a  noble  title.  She  never  dreamed,  for  a  mo 
ment,  that  the  grandest  character  on  the  globe  could  refuse 
to  lend  his  name  to  her  family  in  exchange  for  her  millions 
of  glittering  gold.  The  nation  had  become  so  corrupt, 
that  the  publication  of  this  woman's  reputation  did  not 
exclude  her  from  the  elite  of  society.  The  Gehtheimers 
were  introduced  to  Lord  Jesse,  and  immediately  the  matron 
engaged  the  Danite  in  conversation,  and  monopolized  his 
time  the  remainder  of  the  evening. 

"My  lord,  I  am  pleased  to  meet  you/'  said  the  virago. 
"I  have  met  so  many  of  your  people,  and  I  think  they  are 
simply  grand.  They  are  so  courteous  and  refined.  Of 
course,  nobility  begets  polished  manner." 

"Madam,  I  thank  you  for  the  compliment." 

"But,  my  lord,  there  is  something  about  your  associa- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  139 

tions  that  I  do  not  comprehend ;  and,  as  you  are  a 
stranger  in  the  city,  and,  undoubtedly  beguiled  by  false 
appearances,  I  thought  that  I  would  speak  to  you  on  this 
question  this  evening." 

"Why,  certainly,  madam.  If  I  have  been  consorting 
with  disreputable  people,  I  am  sorry,  and,  in  extenuation 
of  any  offense  I  may  have  given  to  the  fashionable  society 
of  Deboreh,  which  I  so  highly  esteem,  ignorance  of  wrong 
doing  is  my  apology." 

"Perhaps  I  have  been  misinformed,'  began  the  lady, 
"but  I  have  heard  that  you  are  the  boon  companion  of 
those  two  notorious  anarchists  who  publish  'The  Flaming 
Sword/  " 

"Ah !  you  intend  to  call  Mr.  Gilhooley  and  Mr.  McGilli- 
cuddy  anarchists?  I  beg  to  differ  with  you.  They  have 
violated  no  law,  and  they  do  not  instigate  the  populace  to 
violence,  but  on  the  contrary,  they  advise  the  adoption  of 
constitutional  methods  in  this  warfare." 

"That  may  be  very  true,  but  they  are  opposed  to  the 
existing  government,  and  they  propose  to  abolish  the 
entire  system  by  the  introduction  of  Socialism." 

"But  what  do  you  understand  by  Socialism?"  asked 
Lord  Jesse,  who  was  highly  amused. 

"Why  the  total  annihilation  of  private  property,  the 
division  of  wealth  among  the  beggars  and  tramps." 

"  'The  Flaming  Sword,'  madam,  does  not  advocate 
the  division  of  wealth,  but  merely  the  government  owner 
ship  of  the  means  of  production  and  distribution,  and  they 
propose  to  compensate  the  proprietors  for  their  property. 
If  I  mistake  not,  they  confine  their  demands  to  the  na 
tional  ownership  of  land  and  railways,  telegraph  and  tele 
phone  lines.  At  least,  I  have  not  read  of  any  other  inno 
vations  in  the  columns  of  their  paper." 

"Do  you  think  that  would  be  just  ?" 

"Nothing  could  be  more  just.  I  am  a  land-owner,  and 
I  would  be  willing  to  relinquish  my  claims  to-morrow,  for 
I  recognize  that  every  man  has  a  right  to  the  use  of  land. 
Besides,  in  my  native  country,  I  have  seen  the  deleterious 
results  of  land  ownership.  The  few  are  living  in  luxury, 
and  the  masses  are  toiling  slaves,  giving  the  fruit  of  their 


T40  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

labor  to  those  who  have  monopolized  the  treasures  of  na 
ture  by  fencing  in  the  common  inheritance." 

"I  see,  my  lord,  that  you  are  mesmerized  by  those 
magicians.  It  seems  that  they  have  the  power,  not  only  to 
enchant  the  feminine  gender,  but  extend  their  conquest  to 
the  noblest  of  the  masculine  sex." 

"I  thank  you,  madam,  for  the  compliment.  I  hope  that 
I  am  worthy  of  it." 

During  the  evening  Mrs.  Reisan  managed  to  have  sev 
eral  brief  conversations  with  the  Danish  aristocrat,  and 
she  declared  that  he  was  "the  handsomest,  the  most  re 
fined,  the  most  cultured,  and  the  most  fascinating  gentle 
man"  whom  she  had  ever  met.  Lord  Jesse's  visit  to  De- 
boreh  was  the  social  triumph  of  the  year.  Costly  bouquets 
were  sent  to  him  every  day  by  the  fair  damsels  and  the 
stately  matrons. 

The  following  week  he  was  entertained  at  the  Gehthei- 
mer  mansion,  and  at  the  beginning  of  the  next  month,  the 
courtly  manners  of  the  foreigner  graced  the  palatial  home 
of  Mrs.  Reisan.  Mrs.  Gehtheimer  was  again  present,  with 
her  daughter  Lucile,  who  was  decked  in  the  richest  of 
robes.  But  the  nobleman  seemed  to  pay  more  attention  to 
the  hostess  of  the  evening  than  the  bevy  of  maidens  who 
came  to  admire  his  handsome  visage  and  princely  mein, 
and  to  win  from  him  a  smile  of  satisfaction  or  a  word  of 
encouragement.  Mrs.  Reisan  was  young  and  gay,  and 
her  beauty  was  unrivaled  in  the  city  of  Deboreh.  Her 
husband  was  a  multi-millionaire,  fifteen  years  the  senior 
of  his  wife,  and  devoid  of  those  charms  that  attract  the 
admiration  of  the  fair  sex. 

The  marked  attention  of  Mrs.  Reisan  to  her  guest,  and 
the  compliments  that  he  bestowed  upon  the  beautiful  lady, 
called  for  many  severe  criticisms.  From  that  time,  Lord 
Jesse  was  a  constant  visitor  at  the  Reisan  mansion,  and 
was  frequently  seen  on  the  boulevard  in  the  family  car 
riage  with  the  mistress  of  the  house.  But  Mrs.  Reisan 
was  not  the  only  married  lady  in  Deboreh  who  took  the 
liberty  of  accompanying  Lord  Jesse  on  a  drive.  The 
maidens  and  matrons  vied  with  each  other  in  wooing 
the  favors  of  the  Danite ;  and  not  only  did  they  call  to 
see  him  at  the  parlors  of  the  hotel,  but  they  invited  him 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 


to  private  luncheons,  and  committed  many  other  indis 
cretions  worthy  of  public  censure.  Horses,  cats  and  dogs 
were  christened  "Lord  Jesse,"  the  latest  style  of  hats  was 
distinguished  with  that  title,  and  the  papers  were  filled 
wiht  amatory  verses  in  honor  of  the  aristocrat,  who  had 
deigned  to  visit  the  metropolis  of  Toadia. 

A  very  strong  attachment  was  engendered  between 
Lord  Jesse  and  the  editors  of  "The  Flaming  Sword,"  to 
the  surprise  of  the  public,  and  to  the  sorrow  and  disap 
pointment  of  a  certain  class  of  the  elite,  who  hated  Gil- 
hooley  and  McGillicuddy  with  the  malice  of  fiends.  The 
Einsteins  were  still  ardent  defenders  of  "The  Flaming 
Sword"  and  its  management,  and  a  deep  and  lasting  love 
had  been  formed  between  the  two  young  ladies  and  the 
two  reformers.  But  a  contemplated  alliance  of  Teddy 
Einstein  with  Lucile  Gehtheimer  had  estranged  him  from 
his  family,  who  loathed  the  very  name  of  that  disreputable 
woman.  Teddy  had  been  told  of  Mrs.  Gehtheimer's 
youthful  career,  but  he  was  passionately  fond  of  Lucile, 
and  his  love  for  the  daughter  was  greater  than  his  con 
tempt  for  the  mother. 

Since  the  arrival  of  Lord  Jesse,  the  attentions  of  Teddv 
were  discouraged  by  Lucile's  mother,  who  dreamed  of 
the  possibility  of  an  alliance  with  the  heir  of  a  noble  fam 
ily,  and  though  the  Einsteins  were  among  the  most  dis 
tinguished  people  of  Deboreh,  yet  they  had  no  titles. 
Lucile  admired,  but  did  not  love  Lord  Jesse,  but  her 
mother  said  that  she  should  sacrifice  her  affections  to  her 
ambition,  and  relinquish  the  pleasures  of  congeniality  for 
the  honors  of  aristocracy.  Isaac  and  Abraham  were  deeply 
interested  in  the  nuptial  anticipations  of  Teddy  Einstein, 
and  endeavored  to  break  the  bonds  which  that  young  lady 
had  drawn  around  his  heart.  But  the  chain  was  made  of 
adamantine  links,  and  their  efforts  were  not  only  futile, 
but  resulted  in  the  growth  of  enmity  between  the  whilom 
friends.  Mrs.  Gehtheimer  fanned  the  flame  that  had  been 
ignited,  for  she  had  no  love  for  "The  Flaming  Sword," 
and  she  longed  to  see  its  editors  behind  the  dungeon 
gate. 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Directly  south  of  New  Israel,  there  is  a  continent  which 
was  named  Arabia,  after  the  geographical  position  of  that 
country  in  relation  to  Palestine.  The  sea  separating  this 
region  from  New  Israel  was  known  as  the  Tranquil  Sea, 
for  destructive  storms  never  swept  its  bosom,  and  the 
waters  were  as  placid  as  the  surface  of  a  lake.  Arabia  was 
inhabited  by  many  turbulent  tribes,  which  incessantly 
waged  intestine  feuds.  The  Caucasion  race  found  no  in 
ducements  to  penetrate  the  wilds  of  this  savage  land,  and 
for  centuries  civilization  was  a  stranger  to  its  soil.  The 
peasants  of  Asher  established  a  colony  in  that  remote  part 
of  the  world,  and  by  their  unremitting  efforts,  a  garden  was 
planted  in  the  wilderness.  The  Danish  empire  laid  claims 
to  the  neighboring  regions.  But  finding  it  more  congenial 
to  the  tastes  of  her  people  to  confiscate  the  cultivated  lands 
of  the  Asherites,  than  to  battle  with  the  laws  of  nature  in 
rescuing  swamps  from  the  floods  of  summer,  and  transmu 
ting  the  forests  into  meadows  and  orange  groves,  she 
notified  the  pioneers  to  vacate  their  land  and  seek  new 
homes  in  the  unfrequented  wilds.  The  original  colonists 
moved  onward  toward  the  north,  and  occupied  a  desert 
tract  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  warlike  nations.  They 
were  compelled  to  fight  these  untutored  races,  and  guard 
their  wives  and  little  babes  that  gladdened  their  hearths, 
from  the  perfidious  Arabians  who  lurked  in  every  wood 
and  mountain  dell.  Years  were  passed  on  the  frontier  of 
civilization,  and  many  a  noble  Asherite  fell  beneath  the 
deadly  blade  of  the  assassin,  before  the  pioneers  had  se 
cured  a  safe  asylum  in  that  distant  part  of  the  world.  Their 
ceaseless  toil  at  last  created  an  oasis  in  the  wilderness  and 
then  the  jealous  Danites  notified  them  to  migrate  again. 

Their  homes  and  the  graves  of  their  sires  were  dese 
crated  by  mailed  hosts,  who  were  sent  to  execute  the  or 
ders  of  the  Danish  government.  Onward  they  marched, 
leaving  their  cabins  in  the  valley  and  on  the  hilltop,  which 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  143 

were  covered  with  the  wealth  of  vegetation,  and  the  de 
fenseless  peasants  began  to  struggle  with  new  difficulties. 
They  were  forced  to  confront  the  savage  foe  in  his  strong 
hold,  and  consecrate  the  new  settlement  with  the  blood  of 
their  best  and  noblest  men.  But  the  task  was  accom 
plished,  and  the  formation  of  a  little  republic  showed  that 
liberty  had  triumphed  over  despotism,  and  civilization  had 
conquered  the  savage  hordes. 

The  peasants  now,  by  long  separation  from  their  native 
land,  had  assumed  a  distinct  nationality  known  as  Jonites, 
and  their  country  was  called  Jonas,  after  the  prophet  of 
Israel,  who  was  commanded  by  the  voice  of  Jehovah  to 
preach  repentance  to  the  wicked  men  of  Nineveh.  Less 
than  three  decades  had  rolled  away  from  the  establishment 
of  the  Jonitic  government,  when  diamonds  and  gold  fields 
were  discovered,  and  the  small  republic  became  the  most 
prosperous  country  in  the  world.  The  wealth  of  the  land 
was  fabulous,  and  the  cupidity  of  Dan  could  not  rest,  while 
another  people  had  such  precious  treasures.  A  wave  of 
migration  swept  into  Jonas  from  the  Danish  empire,  and 
in  a  short  time  the  natives  were  in  the  minority.  They 
readily  discerned  the  significance  of  this  movement,  and 
anticipated  the  scheme  by  passing  laws  of  naturalization, 
requiring  the  foreigners  to  live  fourteen  years  in  the  Re 
public,  before  they  could  become  citizens  and  be  admitted 
to  the  franchise.  The  Danites  thought  that  by  their  vast 
number  they  would  be  enabled  to  control  the  legislature 
and  within  a  very  brief  period,  the  government  would  be 
attached  to  the  Arabian  dominion  of  Dan  ;  and  they  were 
furious  when  the  Jonites  foiled  their  plans  by  passing  a 
bill  of  qualification  for  voters,  and  they  demanded  that  the 
bill  be  modified  immediately. 

The  Jonites  were  not  fully  prepared  to  fight  for  the 
maintenance  of  their  autonomy,  and  they  made  some  tem 
porary  modifications.  The  conflict,  however,  was  brew 
ing,  and  the  Jonites  were  supplying  themselves  with  re 
sources,  and  drilling  their  little  army  to  meet  the  inevita 
ble.  The  Danites  were  not  satisfied  with  the  concessions 
that  had  been  made,  and  demanded  that  seven  years  be 
specified  as  the  period  of  residence  required  in  voters. 
After  many  protestations,  the  Jonites  also  yielded  to  this 


144  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

demand.  Again  the  tyrant  requested  that  the  period  be 
reduced  to  five  years,  and  the  natives,  seeing  that  their 
country  was  menaced  the  fourth  time  by  the  wily  usurper, 
refused  to  comply,  and  appealed  to  the  justice  of  their 
cause.  But  justice  was  out  of  the  question,  when  dealing 
with  inferior  forces. 

The  Toadian  Republic  was  still  persecuting  the  god 
dess  of  liberty  in  Heron,  and  under  the  name  of  humanity 
and  civilization,  was  waging  the  most  atrocious,  the  most 
brutal,  warfare  that  had  disgraced  any  country  within  the 
millennium;  and  it  did  not  surprise  the  natives  of  the 
transarctic  world  that  the  "Land  of  the  Free"  should  sanc 
tion  and  encourage  the  invasion  of  Jonas  under  the  same 
hypocritical  plea  that  had  been  advanced  to  justify  Toadian 
usurpation  in  the  Moabitic  Ocean.  The  leaders  of  the  Pro 
tectionists  were  constantly  lauding  Danish  civilization, 
and  the  necessity  of  exercising  suzerainty  over  the  South 
Arabian  Republic. 

"We  are  a  great  Danish-speaking  people,  and  God  has 
called  us  to  preach  His  word  to  the  ends  of  the  earth,  and 
if  we  should  be  recreant  to  our  vocation,  unborn  genera 
tions  will  curse  our  memory,  and  the  Almighty  Ruler  will 
exact  a  rigid  account  of  the  gifts  He  has  bestowed  on  us 
for  the  accomplishment  of  our  great  and  noble  mission." 
This  was  the  language  of  press,  pulpit  and  rostrum,  to  the 
nauseation  of  honest  people,  and  the  amusement  of  the 
hired  hypocrites  themselves.  It  was  dangerous  to  speak 
in  disparaging  terms  of  Danish  integrity,  and  it  was  nec 
essary  to  extol  Danish  honor  to  gain  any  favors  from  the 
Federal  government.  Every  Protectionist  in  the  land 
claimed  to  have  Danish  blood  in  his  veins ;  and  if  he  were 
a  native  of  that  country,  there  was  no  office  at  the  disposal 
of  the  party  that  was  beyond  his  reach.  In  fact,  it  became 
disreputable  in  fashionable  society  not  to  have  a  coat-of- 
arms,  certifying  to  Danish  ancestry,  and  among  the  par- 
venues  and  ambitious  canaille,  the  sentiment  became  so 
strong  (for  such  people  are  always  directed  by  the  higher 
classes  and  excel  them  in  extravagance)  it  was  flagitious 
to  speak  in  complimentary  language  of  the  Toadian  Re 
public. 

Gilhooley  had  delivered  a  speech  on  the    Reubenic- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  *45 

Toadian  conflict,  and  he  characterized  it  as  the  most  un 
justifiable  war  in  history.  "Reuben,"  he  said,  "acquiesced 
to  all  our  protestations,  yielded  to  all  our  expostulations, 
complied  with  all  our  injunctions,  but  still  we  were  not 
satisfied.  We  wanted  battle,  but  we  were  very  careful  to 
imitate  our  Danish  cousins  in  selecting  a  weak  nation,  on 
which  to  show  our  prowess.  I  do  not  hesitate  to  denounce 
my  country  for  the  blackest  ingratitude  on  the  page  of 
history.  If  we  were  sincere  in  our  affection  for  the  Am 
monites,  we  would  have  requested  the  nations  to  present 
a  unanimous  protest  against  the  Reubenic  domination  in 
that  land,  and  the  court  of  Tirzah  would  have  been  neces 
sitated  to  comply  with  this  universal  remonstrance.  But 
no,  we  wanted  war.  If  we  were  honest  in  our  declaration 
of  sympathy  for  an  enslaved  people,  why  do  we  withhold 
autonomy  from  Ammon?  Why  do  we  set  up  a  military 
government  in  that  island?  Why  do  we  allow  every 
Toadian  cut-throat  and  adventurer  to  suck  the  life-blood 
of  that  people  ?  Why  do  we  close  our  ears  to  their  com 
plaints  and  hold  that  such  treatment  is  necessary  for  them  ? 

"Of  course  we  render  all. these  stripes,  we  inflict  all 
these  injustices,  we  perpetrate  all  these  robberies,  in  the 
name  of  humanity  and  civilization.  It  is  not  a  matter  of 
wonder  that  such  an  administration  should  lend  its  sym 
pathy  to  Danish  despots,  and  applaud  the  usurpations  and 
atrocities  of  that  government.  A  few  days  ago  Senator 
Sodoc  declared  that  we  alone,  the  Danish-speaking  peo 
ple,  have  a  right  to  existence,  and  we  should  conquer  the 
earth  and  build  a  fence  around  it.  O,  ye  immortal  men 
of  the  past ;  ye  warriors  that  carried  the  banner  of  victory 
from  the  vale  of  Hur  to  the  battlements  of  Gilead ;  ye 
pioneers  who  fought  the  beasts  of  the  forests  and  savage 
hordes  from  the  wilderness,  come  forth  from  your  sombre 
tombs !  awake  ye  silent  shades  from  the  moss-covered 
stones ;  arise  ye  noble  spirits  from  your  grand  mauso 
leums,  and  purify  the  nation  with  your  philanthropic  in 
spiration,  with  your  lofty  sentiments  of  love  and  patriot 
ism." 

At  a  meeting  of  Protectionists  in  the  city  of  Deboreh 
just  previously  to  the  Reubenic-Toadian  embroglio,  "The 
Flaming  Sword"  was  severely  criticised  for  its  opposition 


146  BEYOND  THE  BLACK   OCEAN 

to  the  policy  of  the  government,  and  the  editors  were  de 
nounced  for  their  treasonable  utterances  in  the  rostrum. 

Mr.  Benjamin  said  that  "These  two  Irish-Israelites 
magnify  the  debt  of  gratitude  we  owe  to  Reuben.  We 
owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  no  nation  on  earth  except  our 
dear  old  mother  country,  that  rocked  us  in  the  cradle  of 
infancy,  and  guarded  our  childhood  days ;  and  we  have 
been  ungrateful  in  renouncing  her  maternal  claims  on  our 
affections.  To-day  the  Lion  should  rule  the  empire  of 
the  West.  If  the  severance  had  not  been  accomplished 
by  the  rebels,  who  unfurled  the  banner  of  the  Eagles,  we 
should  now  be  lords  and  earls  and  dukes,  and  the  vile 
proletariat  would  be  fawning  at  our  knees,  crying  at  our 
feet,  bowing  to  the  passing  of  our  shadow  on  the  street, 
instead  of  presuming  to  dictate  our  national  policy,  and 
to  subvert  the  existing  government.  Even  if  Reuben  had 
sustained  us  in  our  struggle,  is  that  any  reason  why  we 
should  not  castigate  her  for  her  heinous  crimes,  for  unpar 
donable  offenses  ?  Gilhooley  said  that  ingratitude  is  the 
vice  of  slaves ;  and  I  want  to  tell  that  -young  fanatic  that 
gratitude  is  the  virtue  of  dogs." 

The  sentiment  expressed  by  Mr.  Benjamin  was  the 
sentiment  of  the  money  kings  of  Toadia,  with  a  few  noble 
exceptions.  The  country  in  general,  however,  still  pre 
served  the  sacred  traditions  of  liberty  bequeathed  as  a 
legacy  by  the  fathers  of  the  Republic,  and  there  were  ex 
pressions  of  sympathy  for  the  Jonites  from  every  part  of 
the  land.  Men  declared  their  convictions  in  public  meet 
ings,  and  armed  bodies  of  cavaliers  offered  their  aid  to  the 
President  of  the  South  Arabian  Republic.  The  Ephraim- 
ites  were  unanimous  in  their  expression  of  fidelity  to  the 
principles  of  liberty,  and  made  powerful  efforts  to  collect 
arms  and  ammunition  for  the  Jonitic  cause. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

On  the  2 ist  of  October,  1857,  the  following  communi 
cation  appeared  in  "The  Flaming  Sword :" 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAtf  147 

"To-day  we  have,  in  this  country,  seven  hundred  thou 
sand  people  out  of  work,  eight  hundred  thousand  paupers, 
and  twenty  millions  poor.  In  the  census  of  last  year  there 
were  one  million,  one  hundred  thousand  living1  in  tele- 
ment  houses  in  Deboreh,  whose  population  is  only  one 
million,  five  hundred  thousand.  Eighty  per  cent  of  the 
farmers  in  the  country  are  in  debt,  and  in  less  than  five 
years  they  will  lose  their  homes,  and  join  the  army  of  toil 
ers  and  vagrants.  In  Dan  the  disparity  between  the 
classes  is  even  greater.  More  than  half  the  national 
wealth  belongs  to  ten  thousand  people,  and  thirty  thou 
sand  men  own  fifty-five-fifty-sixths  of  all  the  land  and 
capital  in  the  kingdom.  The  average  wage  for  the  upper 
and  middle  classes  is  one  thousand  dollars  per  annum, 
whereas  laborers  receive  but  eighty-five  dollars  per  an 
num,  or  twenty-five  cents  per  day. 

"In  the  early  history  of  our  race,  each  man  worked 
for  himself,  and  received  the  fruit  of  his  industry.  But 
even  in  that  remote  age  of  time,  there  were  always  men 
who  desired  to  live  on  the  labor  of  their  fellow-beings, 
and  hence  originated  wars  for  the  spoliation  of  wealth. 
Land  was  then  abundant  and  this  prevented  the  possibil 
ity  of  land  monopoly,  and  the  stronger  nations  enslaved 
the  weaker,  and  exacted  their  toil  as  a  price  for  their 
lives.  Captives  taken  in  war  were  doomed  to  thraldom, 
and  served  their  masters  under  the  stroke  of  the  lash.  In 
the  flight  of  ages,  when  the  human  race  had  multiplied, 
the  land  passed  into  the  hands  of  private  individuals,  and 
those  were  able  to  exact  the  labor  of  their  less  fortunate 
brethren  as  a  compensation  for  their  existence  on  the  soil. 
The  landlord  took  a  large  portion  of  the  wealth  created 
by  his  bondsmen  or  serfs,  as  a  tribute  for  the  liberty  of 
cultivating  the  soil. 

"When  the  race  had  increased  and  land  became  scarce, 
serfdom  passed  out  of  existence,  and  the  bondsmen  now 
became  renters.  Competition  raised  the  rent  of  land  with 
every  generation,  till  now  the  entire  produce,  with  a  small 
allowance  essential  for  the  maintenance  of  the  laborer,  is 
absorbed  by  the  owners  of  the  earth.  Rent  in  Dan  is  one 
hundred  and  twenty  times  greater  than  it  was  five  hun 
dred  years  ago.  In  Asher,  Zabolon,  Simeon  and  Neph- 


148  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

thali,  rent  has  doubled  in  the  last  quarter  of  a  century. 
To-day  the  annual  rent  of  land  in  the  city  of  Deboreh,  is 
two  hundred  million  dollars ;  in  Kidron,  it  is  seventy-five 
millions ;  in  Engeddi,  forty  millions ;  in  Susanna,  twenty- 
seven  millions,  and  in  the  other  cities  it  ranges  from  ten 
to  twenty-five  millions.  Just  to  think  that  men  must  pay 
such  exorbitant  prices  for  the  privilege  of  standing  on 
the  soil  which  God  has  created  for  their  use ! 

"But  the  landlords  are  not  the  only  class  of  people  who 
live  on  the  labor  of  their  fellow-men.  The  small  trades 
men  of  three  or  four  centuries  ago  owned  his  tools,  and, 
by  hard  labor,  could  make  an  independent  living.  But 
those  days  are  forever  past.  The  age  of  invention  has 
arrived,  and  another  class  of  people  has  entered  the  field 
of  industry.  Mechanical  skill  has  supplanted  the  simple 
tools  of  the  artisan,  and  the  capitalist  has  purchased  ma 
chinery  and  established  vast  industries,  and  the  manual 
laborer,  not  having  the  means  to  compete  with  the  cap 
italist,  has  been  driven  from  the  field,  and  forced  to  seek 
employment  in  the  busy  factories.  The  laborer  does  not 
own  the  means  of  production,  but  must  sell  his  labor  to 
the  capitalist,  and  therefore  he  is  the  slave  of  the  capital 
ist.  This  is  what  competition  has  accomplished.  It  has 
enthralled  the  wealth  producers  of  the  world. 

"We  boast  of  the  freedom  of  contract!  Freedom, 
indeed,  when  a  man  must  work  for  a  crust  of  bread  or 
starve !  When  necessity  urges  a  man  to  sell  his  labor  for 
one-half  or  one-third  its  real  value,  that  man  is  the  veriest 
slave.  Competition  means  bondage,  and  we  are  the  vilest 
slaves  that  ever  trod  the  earth.  Ihe  employe  is  afraid  to 
look  up  when  the  foreman's  eyes  are  upon  him,  for  he 
fears  that  taking  the  liberty  to  look  upon  the  glittering 
sun  and  the  purple  dome,  will  be  punished  by  dismissal 
from  service.  There  is  no  lash  above  him.  Yet  the  shadow 
of  the  wolf  haunts  the  door  of  his  cabin,  his  wife  and 
babes  are  hungry  and  naked,  and  if  he  is  discharged,  they 
will  fall  by  the  wayside,  and  death  will  close  their  eyelids 
in  the  sleep  that  knows  no  waking.  That  man  is  more 
of  a  slave  than  the  Cushitc  who  was  hunted  by  the  blood 
hounds  on  the  southern  plantations.  The  slave  received 
food  and  clothing1  and  care  in  the  hour  of  sickness,  for 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  149 

the  preservation  of  his  life  and  health  was  an  advantage 
to  the  master.  But  the  poor  laborer  works  from  the  grey 
dawn,  when  the  auroral  blush  of  the  infant  day  encircles 
the  brow  of  the  morning,  until  Apollo's  golden  beams  are 
lost  in  the  liquid  depths  of  the  western  main,  and  the 
dusky  shades  of  eve  creep  along  the  vale  and  climb  the 
mountain  peak ;  and  yet  what  is  his  wages  ?  A  crust  of 
bread  and  rags.  When  he  falls  a  victim  to  the  loathsome 
disease  that  lurks  in  the  stifled,  poisoned  atmosphere  of 
his  workship,  there  is  no  master  to  provide  for  his  fam 
ily.  He  dies  and  is  forgotten ;  his  wife  and  babes  follow  in 
his  wake,  and  the  car  of  Mammon  moves  over  the  graves 
of  its  victims,  while  the  enthroned  monarch,  reclining  on 
liis  cushioned  seat,  and  holding  the  reins  in  his  hands, 
never  reflects  on  the  truth  that  the  rotting  flesh  and  de 
caying  bones  that  sleep  beneath  the  green  sward  on  the 
wayside,  once  toiled  and  bled  to  make  the  spokes  and' 
hubs  and  tires  of  his  carriage. 

"Competition  has  begotten  servility.  Not  only  has  lib 
erty  fled  from  the  soul  of  the  laborer  in  the  ditch  and  the 
mill  and  the  factory,  but  the  venal  spirit  of  the  slave  in 
spires  every  act  in  the  history  of  our  age.  The  book 
keeper  and  the  salesman,  the  physician  and  the  lawyer, 
the  merchant  and  the  banker,  are  bondsmen  of  the  veriest 
stamp.  Every  one  is  anxious  to  keep  his  position,  his 
clientage,  his  practice,  his  trade,  his  patronage,  and  he 
smothers  every  noble  sentiment,  stifles  every  whisper  of 
conscience,  submits  to  insults,  tramples  on  truth,  mocks 
justice,  despises  honor,  laughs  at  love  and  scorns  friend 
ship  in  his  efforts  to  conquer  his  competitors,  and  triumph 
in  the  wild  scramble  for  existence. 

''Competition  means  the  survival  of  the  unfittest,  for 
only  t<he  wily,  the  cunning,  the  dishonest,  the  deceitful, 
the  untruthful,  the  unscrupulous,  succeed  in  the  struggle 
of  life,  and  we  are  destined  to  bequeath  a  race  of  vipers 
to  future  ages  and  generations. 

"What  has  produced  the  competitive  system?  The 
desire  to  live  on  the  labor  of  others.  Men  go  into  busi 
ness  to  escape  labor,  and  business  can  only  thrive  on 
profits,  and  profits,  as  we  have  said  in  former  issues  of 
this  paper,  is  the  appropriation  of  the  wealth  created  by 


ISO  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

labor.  Profits  under  private  capitalism  consists  of  three 
elements.  In  the  first  place,  the  capitalist  must  calculate 
on  making  as  large  a  return  for  his  money  as  he  would 
make  in  lending  it  on  good  security ;  otherwise  it  would 
be  better  and  safer  to  lend  his  money  on  good  security. 
He  must  secondly  make  allowances  for  risks  ;  for  when  he 
goes  into  business  he  hazards  his  investment,  and  he  may 
fail  and  lose  every  dollar.  If  his  chances  are  even,  he 
must  calculate  on  making  more  than  one  hundred  per 
cent  to  cover  all  risks.  Again,  he  must  charge  for  su 
perintendence  and  superior  skill  in  conducting  the  busi 
ness  through  dangerous  epochs  and  seasons  of  depres 
sion.  This  will  probably  make  a  total  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  per  cent. 

"Now,  when  the  article  has  passed  from  the  farmer 
and  the  toiler  through  all  the  avenues  of  trade,  and  re 
turns  a  finished  product,  its  price  has  been,  augmented 
many  fold,  and  the  price  paid  for  the  accumulated  labor 
will  not  purchase  the  commodity  in  the  market,  and  thus 
economy  is  practiced  from  necessity.    Hence,  only  a  por 
tion  of  the  wealth  created  is  disposed  of,  and  the  capitalist 
has  a  surplus  in  his  storehouse.     There  is  a  wide  gap 
created  between  the  productive  and  the  purchasing  power 
of  the  nation.     We  are  cursed  from  time  to  time  with 
what  people  erroneously  call  over-production,  but  what 
is  really  under-consumption.    The  laborers  of  this  coun 
try  are  supposed  to  consume  their  ratio  of  all  wealth  pro 
duced.     Now  the  laboring  element  constitutes  fifty-two 
per  cent  of  the  population,  and  they  should  consume  fifty- 
two  per  cent  of  the  wealth  produced.  But  they  only  receive 
seventeen  per  cent  of  the  wealth,  in  wages,  and  it  is  im 
possible  with  seventeen  per  cent  to  buy  fifty-two  per  cent. 
Therefore,  a  surplus  accumulates  and  we  are  afflicted  with 
over-production.  Men  are  hungry  and  children  are  naked, 
because  so  much  is  produced  that  it  cannot  be  consumed  ! 
"In  order  to  sell  this  accumulated  stock,  merchants 
and  manufacturers  advertise  extensively,  and  employ  a 
number  of  traveling  men  to  represent  their  wares  in  dis 
tant  cities.    They  fail  to  see  that  this  extra  expense  must 
be  added  to  their  merchandise,  and  that  the  price  being 
increased,  the  purchasing"  power  of  the  consumer  is  cor- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  151 

respondingly  diminished.  One  thousand  firms  in  Toadia 
spend,  each,  one  million  dollars  in  advertising1,  making  a 
total  of  one  billion  dollars ;  and  there  are  one  million,  one 
hundred  and  twenty  thousand  that  spend  at  least  another 
billion.  While  this  outlay  must  be  added  to  the  wares,  yet 
people  cannot  afford  to  pay  the  advanced  prices,  and  the 
merchants  have  recourse  to  adulteration,  and  cheap  mer 
chandise,  and  the  cost  is  really  greater  in  the  end,  and  the 
health  of  the  community  is  jeopardized  and  injured  by 
poisoned  .food. 

"The  next  step  is  the  reduction  of  the  force  employed, 
and  this  likewise  curtails  the  purchasing  power  of  the 
toilers,  for  men  cannot  buy  when  they  have  no  work  and 
no  money.  Then  there  is  a  reduction  in  wages,  and  this 
intensifies  the  situation.  Finally,  they  introduce  new 
machinery  to  diminish  the  cost  of  production,  and  thou 
sands  of  employes  are  discharged,  and  swell  the  army  of 
tramps.  All  the  time  the  situation  is  growing  more  des 
perate,  for  the  purchasing  power  of  the  people  is  falling. 
The  larger  houses  consolidate  to  reduce  expenses  and  the 
smaller  establishments,  unable  to  compete  with  these 
gigantic  concerns,  perish  in  the  conflict,  and  we  have  a 
crisis.  Finally,  when  the  vast  stores  of  merchandise  have 
been  wasted  and  destroyed  by  competition,  a  season  of  ac 
tivity  dawns  on  the  country,  and  people  say  that  we  have 
good  times.  Another  period  of  over-production  comes 
again,  another  period  of  starvation,  another  crisis ;  and 
this  has  been  the  history  of  the  industrial  system  of  civil 
ized  nations  for  the  last  two  hundred  years. 

"As  the  productive  power  of  civilization  advances,  the 
demand  for  labor  will  diminish,  and  this  will  necessitate 
a  contraction  of  the  purchasing  power,  and  the  gap  will 
widen  with  every  step  forward.  Wealth  will  become  con 
tracted  more  and  more,  the  middle  class  will  disappear, 
and  the  ranks  of  the  masses  will  be  swollen  by  large  an 
nual  accessions  from  those  who  have  been  driven  from 
the  field  of  industry.  But  profits  must  decrease  with  the 
reduction  of  the  purchasing  power  of  laborers,  till  finally 
the  inducements  will  not  be  sufficient  to  encounter  the 
risks  in  business,  and  industry  will  wane,  and  civilization 


152  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

will  retrograde.     It  is  the  inevitable  result  of  the  profit 
system. 

"But  people  say  that  competition,  that  involves  waste, 
is  beneficial  to  the  community,  for  it  gives  employment 
to  the  idle.  If  waste  is  an  advantage  to  industry,  why  not 
make  a  bonfire  of  all  goods  that  cannot  be  sold  in  the  mar 
ket  ?  This  would  immediately  destroy  the  curse  of  over 
production,  and  industry  would  not  be  hampered,  and 
years  of  distress  and  poverty  would  be  avoided.  This  has 
been  done  on  several  occasions  in  order  to  create  a  de 
mand  for  commodities.  The  Oriental  Company  in  Mod- 
tian  destroyed  shiploads  of  corn  and  rice  which  had  been 
held  for  high  price  until  they  were  injured,  and  imme 
diately  prices  were  advanced  so  that  the  profits  on  the 
amounts  saved  compensated  for  the  loss  sustained  in  the 
waste. 

"As  all  wealth  is  produced  by  labor,  waste  must  come 
from  the  sweat  and  brawn,  bone  and  sinew,  of  the  toilers. 
Cloth  that  is  retailed  at  seventy-five  cents  per  yard  cost 
the  manufacturer  for  material  and  labor  twelve  cents. 
Clothes  worth  eleven  dollars  are  retailed  at  seventy  dol 
lars.  The  difference  between  the  cost  and  the  retail  price, 
goes  in  profits  to  the  manufacturer  and  the  middlemen. 
Eliminate  these  profits,  and  this  waste  of  energy,  and  the 
laborer  will  be  well  paid  for  his  services,  and  the  nation 
will  not  be  cursed  by  over-production ;  for  when  the  wage- 
earner  receives  full  compensation  for  his  toil,  he  will  live 
comfortably  and  his  patronage  will  increase  the  sale  of 
all  those  articles  that  administer  to  human  desires.  Here 
is  a  man  engaged  in  a  shoe  factory,  and  he  earns  ten  dol 
lars  per  week,  whereas  he  produces  fifty  dollars'  worth 
of  wealth  in  the  same  period  of  time.  An  operative  in  a 
woolen  factory  likewise  produces  fifty  dollars  of  wealth 
in  a  week,  and  receives  ten  dollars  in  payment.  The  shoe 
operative  must  work  five  weeks  in  order  to  purchase  fifty 
dollars'  worth  of  clothes,  and  the  operative  in  the  woolen 
factory  must  work  five  weeks  in  order  to  purchase  fifty 
dollars'  worth  of  shoes.  Eliminate  the  profits  and  waste 
of  our  competitive  system,  and  each  man  could  procure 
the  desired  quantity  of  articles  for  one  week's  labor. 
Therefore  the  hours  of  labor,  under  a  co-operative  com- 


I5EYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  153 

monwealth,  would  be  reduced  to  one-fifth  of  the  present 
working  day. 

"The  advantages  of  co-operation  are  demonstrated  in 
the  management  of  the  trusts.  The  price  of  oil  a  few 
years  ago  was  fifteen  cents  per  gallon.  Since  the  forma 
tion  of  the  National  Oil  Trust,  the  retail  price  is  nine 
cents  per  gallon,  and  the  cost  is  one  cent  per  gallon,  mak 
ing  a  profit  to  the  company  of  eight  cents  per  gallon.  It 
is  true  that  the  oil  company  pays  its  men  fair  wages ;  but 
if  the  industry  were  owned  and  operated  by  society,  the 
hours  of  labor  would  be  reduced,  thereby  giving  employ 
ment  to  thousands  of  employers  who  are  now  walking 
the  streets ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  price  of  oil  could 
be  reduced  to  one-third  of  its  present  cost.  Let  the  iron 
trust  pass  under  governmental  control,  and  the  hours  of 
labor  will  be  likewise  reduced,  and  demand  for  labor  will 
be  increased.  If  the  other  gigantic  concerns,  were  con 
ducted  by  society,  the  same  results  would  follow. 

"The  trusts,  having  no  competitors  to  meet,  avoid  all 
waste,  and  having  complete. control  of  their  industries,  are 
exposed  to  no  risks, and  therefore  can  place  their  products 
on  the  market  for  one-fifth  the  cost  entailed  by  small  con 
cerns.  But  the  trusts  will  never  reduce  the  hours  of 
wages  when  there  is  such  a  vast  supply  of  labor.  If  their 
employes  form  a  union  and  go  on  a  strike,  there  are  thou 
sands  of  others  wrho  will  only  be  too  glad  to  fill  their 
places.  The  government  cannot  justly  interfere,  for  they 
can  claim  that  it  would  be  impossible  for  them  to  conduct 
business  on  a  four  or  two-hour  working  day.  In  fact,  to 
force  the  trusts  to  shorten  the  hours  of  labor  or  reduce 
the  price  of  their  commodities  would  be  a  violation  of  in 
dividual  liberty,  the  pride  and  boast,  the  life  and  soul  of 
trade.  If  the  government  can  legislate  in  fixing  the  hours 
of  labor,  or  the  price  of  commodities,  then  it  has  a  right  to 
conduct  the  business  enterprises  of  the  nation." 


154  BEYOND  THE  BLACKOCEAN 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Gilhooley  and  McGillicuddy  were  devoted  friends  of 
the  Einstein  family,  and  as  they  displayed  every  indica 
tion  of  enamored  youths,  it  was  generally  understood  that 
Miss  Biddy  and  Miss  Mary  Ann  would  some  day  be  led 
to  the  altar  of  Hymen  by  the  editors  of  "The  Flaming 
Sword."  Lord  Jesse  continued  his  devotion  to  the  cause 
of  reform,  and  was  idolized  by  the  laboring  class  and  their 
defenders,  and  especially  by  Isaac  and  Abraham.  They 
were  inseparable  companions.  Lord  Jesse  was  also  a  fre 
quent  visitor  at  the  Einstein  mansion,  and  seemed  to  be 
very  fond  of  Miss  Biddy,  but,  as  she  never  appeared  in 
public  with  anyone  but  Isaac,  it  was  supposed  that  she 
would  assume  the  name  of  Mrs.  Gilhooley,  in  preference 
to  Lady  Jesse.  While  Biddy  admired  the  Danish  noble 
man  for  the  sacrifices  he  had  made  for  the  triumph  of 
justice,  and  on  account  of  his  attachment  to  her  affianced 
husband  and  his  companion,  yet  she  did  not  approve  of  his 
gallantry,  especially  with  some  of  the  married  ladies  of 
Deboreh,  and  she  spoke  to  her  father  about  the  matter, 
and  thought  that  it  would  be  prudent  to  exclude  him  from 
their  home.  Mr.  Einstein,  however,  took  a  different  view 
of  the  matter. 

"After  all,"  he  said,  in  speaking  to  his  daughter,  "we 
cannot  criminate  Lord  Jesse  for  responding  to  the  many 
invitations  from  the  fair  sex,  for  he  is  a  stranger  in  our 
country,  and  totally  ignorant  of  any  impropriety  in  riding 
in  a  carriage  with  a  married  woman.  As  long  as  they 
move  in  the  best  society,  the  presumption  is  that  their 
conduct  meets  with  public  approval.  No ;  Lord  Jesse  has 
many  noble  traits,  and  we  must  not  condemn  him  for  tri 
vial  indiscretions.  I  mean  trivial  on  his  part,  inasmuch 
as  he  is  not  cognizant  of  the  indecorum.  If  some  one 
would  speak  to  him  about  the  matter,  I  know  he  would 
be  more  circumspect  in  the  future." 

"Well,  papa,  why  do  you  not  have  a  conference  with 
him,  or  tell  Isaac  or  Abraham  to  act  in  your  place?" 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  155 

"Yes,  I  will  refer  the  matter  to  the  boys,  and  they  can 
remonstrate  with  Jesse  in  an  amicable  spirit,  and  as  they 
are  intimate  friends,  he  will  not  be  offended." 

About  two  weeks  later,  Isaac  and  Abraham  were  con 
versing  on  this  subject  in  the  editorial  office. 

"I  agree  with  Mr.  Einstein  arid  the  girls,"  remarked 
the  former,  "that  Jesse  has  been  rather  indiscreet,  but  I 
attribute  his  improprieties  to  his  ignorance  of  our  social 
laws." 

"In  fact,"  replied  Abraham,  "this  is  the  excuse  he  ren 
dered  when  I  broached  the  question  to  him,  and  he  went 
on  to  say  he  would  be  more  prudent  in  the  future.  It  is 
very  true  that  he  would  create  suspicion,  as  he  avers,  if  he 
would  sever  his  relation  with  these  people  immediately; 
or  even  if  he  would  ignore  their  invitations,  unfavorable 
comments  would  be  made  by  those  whom  he  has  neg 
lected.  But  it  would  not  create  any  adverse  criticism  if 
he  were  to  abandon  the  society  of  Mrs.  Gehtheimer,  for 
people  would  say  that  he  was  nauseated  with  her  mascu 
line  character  and  rude  manners,  and  I  think  he  would  be 
applauded  for  his  discernment." 

"But  at  the  same  time,"  replied  Isaac,  "he  might  asso 
ciate  with  that  old  hag  forever  and  the  tongue  of  calumny 
would  be  silent,  for  she  is  an  antidote  to  virile  propensi 
ties,  and  her  presence  would  inspire  the  moral  weakling 
with  sentiments  of  single  blessedness.  If  all  women  were 
like  her,  the  world  would  be  filled  with  celibates.  But 
there  is  some  danger  in  his  relations  with  Mrs.  Reisan. 
She  is  not  over  thirty  years  of  age,  and  her  husband  is  at 
least  fifteen  or  twenty  years  her  senior.  Besides,  he  is 
not  attractive,  while  she  is  both  charming  in  appearance 
and  vivacious  in  disposition,  and  Lord  Jesse  should  not 
encourage  the  affection  which  seems  to  be  drawing  them 
closer  together.  I  would  not  suspect  either,  for  he  is  a 
man  of  noble  aspirations,  and  while  I  have  no  admira 
tion  for  Mrs.  Reisan,  at  the  same  time  I  know  that  she  is  a 
faithful  wife.  But  as  the  divine  oracle  says,  'He  that  lov- 
eth  danger  shall  perish  in  it/  and  both  have  jeopardized 
their  innocence  and  their  reputation  by  too  much  famil 
iarity.'* 

"Not  only  have  they  jeopardized  their  reputation,  but 


156  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

they  have  marred  their  social  status.  The  public  have 
been  scandalized  by  their  demeanor,  and  many  have  pre 
dicted  a  divorce  in  the.  Reisan  home." 

"By  the  way,  when  we  referred  to  the  Gehtheimer  fam 
ily,  it  reminds  me  of  poor  Teddy.  Is  it  not  a  pity  that  he 
cannot  see  that  connubial  relations  with  that  family  will 
degrade  him  in  the  esteem  of  all  respectable  people?" 

"Teddy  is  hypnotized  by  Lucile,  and  he  imagines  that 
she  is  a  goddess  of  beauty  and  an  angel  of  perfection." 

"She  is  a  handsome  girl,  but  the  vile  character  of  her 
mother  would  be  enough  for  me." 

"There  is  no  doubt  that  the  old  lady  was  a  demi-mode 
in  her  youthful  days." 

"Not  only  a  d'emi-monde,  but  a  child  of  the  demi 
monde.  Her  mother  was  a  mistress  of  the  lower  world, 
and  every  bone  and  muscle,  every  inch  of  flesh  and  drop 
of  blood  in  the  composition  of  that  old  hag,  is  impregnated 
with  the  virus  of  corruption.  Teddy  Einstein  -should  have 
more  manhood  than  to  bring  the  blush  of  shame  to  his 
pure-minded  sisters  by  associating  with  that  family,  and 
especially  by  cementing  his  affection  with  the  nuptial  bond. 
You  are  engaged  to  Miss  Mary  Ann,  and  I  intend  to 
marry  Miss  Biddy,  and  we  should  take  the  matter  in  hand. 
It  is  an  affair  which  concerns  our  honor.  But,  Abraham, 
I  do  not  know  what  to  do.  You  saw  how  indignant  Teddy 
became  when  we  expostulated  with  him.  He  threatened 
to  strike  me  yesterday,  if  I  ever  presumed  again  to  speak 
in  disparaging  terms  of  his  mother-in-law,  as  he  called 
her." 

"What  did  you  say  in  defense  of  your  conduct?" 

"Well,  I  did  not  wish  to  tell  him  all  I  knew,  but  I  re 
ferred  to  Mrs.  Gehtheimer's  enmity  to  us  personally,  and 
quoted  the  conversation  between  her  and  Mrs.  Reisan, 
when  both  ladies  vowed  that  The  Flaming  Sword'  should 
be  destroyed  and  its  editors  would  ere  long  be  incarcer 
ated  in  the  State  prison.  I,  also,  called  his  attention  to  the 
language  used  by  Mrs.  Reisan  at  the  Queen's  Club,  when 
she  said  that  it  would  be  her  delight  to  see  us  tied  to  a 
whipping-post,  and  lashed  till  every  drop  of  blood  had 
oozed  from  our  veins,  and  that  Mrs.  Gehtheimer  em 
phasized  her  malice  by  declaring  that  we  should  be  hanged 


BEYOND  THE  CLACK  OCEAN  157 

and  quartered,  and  our  heads  posted  on  the  courthouse 
tower.'' 

"By  the  way,"  interrupted  Abraham,  "it's  striking  four, 
and  I  am  engaged  to  speak  to  the  railroad  employes  this 
evening  at  Labor  Hail  on  the  South  Side,  and  I  promised 
to  take  tea  with  Mr.  Lohman  at  five;  so  I  must  go." 

"What  time  shall  I  see  you  again,  Mac  ?" 

"Not  before  ten  o'clock.  The  speech  will  not  begin 
until  eight,  and  I  will  talk  about  an  hour  and  a  half,  or  two 
hours,  and  when  I  get  back  to  the  hotel,  it  may  be  after 
ten." 

"Well,  good-by  till  then,"  said  Isaac. 

"Good-by,  Gil,"  and  Mr.  McGillicuddy  left  the  office. 

The  next  morning  the  city  of  Deboreh  was  startled 
with  the  information  that  Teddy  Einstein  had  been  mur 
dered  in  the  Jechonias  Park.  His  body  was  discovered 
on  the  south  side  of  the  lagoon  in  a  lonely  spot,  called  the 
Cascade,  which  was  screened  by  a  thick  growth  of  trees 
and  shrubbery.  His  throat  was  cut,  and  there  was  every 
indication  of  a  fierce  struggle.  Evidently  the  assassin  had 
choked  his  victims  to  prevent  an  outcry.  The  hands  were 
cut  in  several  places,  and  the  impression  was  that  Einstein 
had  grasped  the  weapon  in  his  effort  to  save  his  life. 

Was  it  a  robbery  ?  The  opinion  was  immediately  dis 
carded,  for  his  watch,  jewelry  and  money  had  not  been 
molested.  The  first  intimation  of  the  assassination  was 
borne  to  McGillicuddy  by  two  officers,  who  came  to  arrest 
the  editors  of  "The  Flaming  Sword." 

"Teddy  Einstein  murdered !"  cried  McGillicuddy. 

"Yes,  murdered,  and  you  are  accused  of  the  crime." 

"I  accused  of  the  crime  of  killing  my  own  friend  !  Why 
the  presumption  is  absurd !  But  I  cannot  believe  that 
Teddy  is  dead.  You  say  that  he  was  killed  last  night  ?" 

"Yes,  he  was  killed  1ast  night,  and,  as  officers  of  the 
law,  we  are  armed  with  warrants  for  your  arrest.  If  you 
are  innocent,  you  will  be  able  to  disprove  the  accusation." 

Abraham  was  taken  before  the  city  judge  for  examina 
tion,  and  asked  to  state  what  he  knew  about  the  murder. 

"I  know  nothing,"  said  he.  "I  remember  last  night, 
when  I  returned  from  Labor  Hall,  that  Isaac  showed  me  a 
note  from  Teddy  Einstein,  asking  for  an  interview  in  the 


158  BEYOND  THE  BLACK.  OCEAN 

Jechonias  Park  at  eight  o'clock,  and  he  told  me  that  he 
went  to  the  place,  at  the  hour  designated,  but  failed  to 
see  Teddy." 

"Where  was  he  to  meet  Einstein?" 

"At  the  monument." 

"You  were  not  with  him  ?" 

"How  could  I  be  with  him  in  the  Park  and  at  Labor 
Hall  at  the  same  time?''  asked  Abraham. 

"What  time  did  you  go  to  Labor  Hall?" 

"About  eight  o'clock." 

"What  time  did  you  leave  there?" 

"About  ten  minutes  to  ten." 

"Where  did  you  go  then?" 

"Directly  to  the  hotel." 

"What  time  did  you  arrive  at  the  hotel  ?" 

"Possibly  at  twenty  minutes  past  ten." 

"You  did  not  leave  the  hotel  after  that  hour?" 

"No,  not  last  night.  Of  course  I  left  this  morning,  or 
I  would  not  be  here  now." 

"What  did  Gilhooley  say  when  you  met  him  last 
night  ?" 

"He  told  me  that  he  went  to  the  monument  at  eight 
o'clock,  and  staid  there  until  after  nine ;  and,  as  Teddy  did 
not  appear,  he  thought  it  was  very  strange,  and  on  his  way 
home  he  called  at  Einstein's  to  inquire  for  him.  Mr.  Ein 
stein  said  that  Teddy  had  left  in  the  afternoon,  and  had  not 
yet  returned." 

"Well,  Mr.  McGillicuddy,  if  you  have  some  one  to  go 
your  bond,  which  I  will  fix  at  ten  thousand  dollars,  you 
may  have  your  liberty  for  a  few  days." 

"O,  yes,  I  can  get  a  thousand  men  in  this  city  to  go 
bail  for  me.  Kindly  wire  to  David  Meyers." 

Mr.  Meyers  responded  willingly,  and  Abraham  was  re 
leased  from  custody. 

The  following  note  had  been  found  in  Teddy's  pocket : 
"Mr.  Teddy  Einstein : 

"Dear  Sir — You  have  persisted  in  consorting  with  the 
daughter  of  a  vile  wretch,  and  because  I  have  remonstrated 
with  you,  through  the  respect  I  have  for  your  family,  you 
have  taken  revenge  in  the  lowest  and  basest  calumny — 
reporting  that  my  mother  was  never  married,  and  had 


JBEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  159 

been  renounced  by  her  father  for  criminal  relations  with  a 
Confederate  officer,  and  that  I  am  the  child  of  unhallowed 
passion.  You  have,  also,  spoken  disrespectfully  of  Mc- 
Gillicuddy's  mother.  You  must  either  retract  those  state 
ments  or  suffer  the  consequences.  I  will  meet  you  this 
evening  in  the  Jechonias  Park,  at  the  monument,  at  eight 
o'clock,  and  if  you  disavow  the  statements,  I  will  offer 
you  the  hand  of  friendship ;  but  if  you  persist  in  your 
obstinacy,  you  must  be  prepared  for  a  duel.  Yours  truly, 

"ISAAC  GILHOOLEY," 

"I  approve  the  action  of  my  friend,  Gilhooley,  and  I 
will  be  present  to  see  fair  play.  The  duel  shall  be  fought 
with  knives ;  so  if  you  decide  to  fight,  come  armed  with 
the  necessary  weapon. 

"ABRAHAM  M'GILLICUDDY." 

Abraham  said  that  the  chirography  seemed  to  point 
to  him  and  his  friend,  but  he  claimed  that  he  had  no  knowl 
edge  of  the  note,  and  denounced  it  as  a  forgery.  It  was 
ascertained  that  Gilhooley  had  left  the  city  early  that 
morning  for  Meron  to  visit  his  mother,  and  this  strength 
ened  the  suspicion.  The  authorities  examined  the  ward 
robe  of  the  editors,  and  they  discovered  a  pair  of  panta 
loons  and  vest,  the  former  belonging  to  Gilhooley  and  the 
latter  to  McGillicuddy ;  and  both  garments  were  stained 
with  blood.  The  circumstances  were  too  strong ;  and  the 
sheriff  immediately  wired  to  Meron  authorizing  the  sheriff 
of  that  city  to  take  Gilhooley  into  custody.  It  was  like 
a  peal  of  thunder  from  a  cloudless  sky,  when  the  officer 
of  Meron  informed  Gilhooley  of  Teddy's  assassination, 
and  he  was  amazed  when  told  that  he  and  Abraham  were 
charged  with  the  murder.  On  his  person  they  found  the 
following  note : 
"Dear  Isaac  and  Abraham  : 

"We  have  long  been  friends,  and  I  regret  the  measures 
you  have  adopted.  I  think  the  difficulty  can  be  satisfac 
torily  settled  without  resorting  to  extremes.  I  will  com 
ply  with  your  wish,  and  meet  you  this  evening  in  the  Park, 
at  the  monument,  at  eight  o'clock.  Yours  very  sincerely, 

"TEDDY  EINSTEIN." 

'How  do  you  account  for  this  note  ?"  asked  the  sheriff. 

"I  received  that  note  in  the  last  mail  yesterday  after- 


l6o  BEYOND   THE   BLACK   OCEAN 

noon.  Abraham  had  already  left  the  office,  and  I  would 
not  see  him  till  late  in  the  evening;  so  I  went  alone  to 
the  monument,  reaching  the  place  about  two  minutes  be 
fore  eight,  and  I  remained  till  ten  minutes  past  nine.  I 
presumed,  then,  that  it  was  a  joke  perpetrated  by  Teddy, 
and  I  determined  to  go  home  and  say  nothing  to  any  one 
about  my  visit  to  the  Park,  for  I  knew  my  friends  would 
ridicule  my  credulity.  However,  I  decided  to  call  at  Mr. 
Einstein's,  and  inquire  for  Teddy,  thinking  that  I  would 
meet  him  and  adjust  our' difficulties  " 

"What  difficulties  did  you  have  with  Teddy?" 

"We  had  some  words  a  few  days  ago  about  his  associa 
tions  and  nuptial  prospects.  Teddy  is  supposed  to  be 
engaged  to  Miss  Lucile  Gehtheimer,  to  the  humiliation 
of  his  family  and  the  disappointment  of  his  friends.  Mr. 
Einstein  and  the  young  ladies  requested  us  to  use  our 
influence  to  dissuade  Teddy  from  consorting  with  the 
daughter  of  Mrs.  Gehtheimer,  for  they  anticipated  that  his 
friendship  for  the  young  lady  would  be  sealed  by  a  matri 
monial  alliance.  Abraham  and  I  spoke  to  Teddy  on  the 
subject,  but  he  was  obstinate  in  his  position.  In  the  early 
part  of  the  week,  I  referred  to  the  question,  when  I  was 
alone  with  Teddy,  and  he  became  furious  and  threatened 
to  slap  me  in  the  face,  if  I  ever  dared  to  derogate  from  the 
honor  due  to  his  mother-in-law.  Since  then,  we  have  not 
seen  him,  and  when  I  received  his  note,  I  was  mystified, 
because  he  wrote  as  if  it  were  in  answer  to  some  proposi 
tion  I  had  made,  and  I  am  not  cognizant  of  having  made 
any  proposition  to  him." 

"Mr.  Gilhooley,  shall  you  accompany  me  without 
forcing  me  to  obtain  requisition  papers  from  the  Gover 
nor?" 

"Why,  certainly.  I  intended  to  return  on  the  late  train 
this  evening,  and  I  will  go  with  you  now,  if  you  are 
ready." 

"The  next  train  leaves  here  at  half-past  one  this  after 
noon,"  said  the  sheriff,  "and  we  will  go  on  that  train." 

When  Isaac  arrived  at  the  station  that  afternoon,  he 
was  met  by  a  host  of  friends,  who  declared  their  belief  in 
his  innocence,  and  swore  to  be  faithful  to  him  in  his  trou 
bles.  His  examining  trial  took  place  the  next  morning, 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  l6l 

and  his  bond  was  fixed  at  twenty  thousand  dollars,  and 
Mr.  Einstein  offered  the  security.  The  family  of  the  vic 
tim  would  not  for  a  moment  entertain  any  suspicion  that 
Isaac  and  Abraham  were  guilty  of  the  crime  with  which 
they  were  charged,  and  in  the  depths  of  their  sorrow 
offered  their  sympathy  to  the  editors  of  "The  Flaming 
Sword."  The  young  men  were  deeply  gratified  for  this 
taken  of  confidence  in  their  innocence,  and  they  accepted 
Mr.  Einstein's  view,  that  it  was  a  plot  to  destroy  the  hap 
piness  of  his  family,  and  to  bring  the  defenders  of  the 
laboring  element  into  disrepute,  and  to  paralyze  the  in 
fluence  of  the  reform  journal.  Lord  Jesse  did  not  ex 
press  a  decided  opinion,  but  said  that  if  they  were  guilty 
he  would  never  again  repose  any  confidence  in  human 
nature. 

"I  cannot  think  that  two  men  of  their  character  would 
play  the  role  of  assassins ;  yet  the  circumstances  are 
criminating.  I  hope  they  will  be  able  to  exculpate  them 
selves,  for  I  had  expected  great  things  from  those  young 
men,  and  it  would  make  me  a  misanthrope  should  I  be 
disappointed  in  my  expectations.  Besides,  with  the  con 
demnation  of  Gilhooley  and  McGillicuddy,  the  cause  of 
labor  and  the  triumph  of  justice  are  defeated." 

The  assassination  of  Teddy  Einstein  was  a  sword  to  the 
heart  of  his  family,  and  caused  profound  grief  among  his 
friends.  His  funeral  was  one  of  the  largest  that  ever  took 
place  in  Deboreh.  Isaac  and  Abraham  were  among  the 
mourners,  and  it  was  a  surprise  to  the  public  when  the 
first  walked  into  the  church  with  Miss  Biddy  and  the  sec 
ond  with  Miss  Mary  Ann.  Mrs.  Reisan  made  a  remark 
to  Mrs.  Gehtheimer  about  the  intimacy  of  the  editors 
with  the  Einsteins,  and  her  companion  replied  that  the  two 
editors  had  so  enchanted  the  Einstein  family  that  "the 
black  stain  of  murder  has  no  power  to  break  the  charm. 
The  Einsteins  are  such  respectable  people,  I  am  perfectly 
astonished  that  they  would  select  such  base-born  friends." 

"I  have  heard  something  very  derogatory  about  the 
paternity  of  Gilhooley,"  said  Mrs.  Reisan. 

"O,  there  is  no  doubt  about  the  question.  His  mother 
was  a  daughter  of  Jeremiah  Rosenthal,  the  banker  of 
Engeddi ;  and  her  father  sent  her  to  Simeon  to  finish  her 


l62  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

studies  in  art.  On  the  ship  she  met  a  young  Confederate 
officer,  who  paid  her  frequent  visits  after  she  was  matricu 
lated  at  the  Academy  of  Music  in  Rubek.  When  Mr. 
Rosenthal  went  over  to  bring  his  daughter  home,  he 
found  that  she  had  contracted  a  liaison  with  young  Mose 
Gilhooley,  and  was  enceinte  as  a  result  of  her  illicit  love 
Mr.  Rosenthal  renounced  nis  daughter  and  came  home 
and  married.  The  mistake  made  by  Louise  Rosenthal, 
like  all  illegal  relations,  terminated  very  unfortunately  for 
the  poor  girl.  The  wretch,  who  made  her  the  victim  of 
his  lust,  abandoned  his  paramour  when  her  pregnancy 
became  apparent,  and  she  was  necessitated  to  seek  refuge 
in  the  bagnios  of  Rubek.  In  the  course  of  time,  when  the 
gay  world  lost  its  charms  for  her,  she  attempted  to  reform, 
and  she  returned  to  this  country  and  was  adopted  by  the 
Gilhooley  family,  who  pitied  Isaac,  the  illegitimate  off 
spring  of  Moses  Gilhooley,  the  Confederate  officer." 

"I  heard  that  story  before,"  said  Mrs.  Reisan,  "but  I 
did  not  know  that  it  had  been  authenticated." 

"Authenticated  beyond  doubt;  and  I  can  go  farther, 
and  say  that  McGillicuddy's  antecedents  are  not  any  bet 
ter,  but  they  are  not  so  well  known,  as  his  parentage  is 
wrapped  in  obscurity." 

The  funeral  sermon  was  delivered,  and  the  remains  of 
Teddy  Einstein  were  laid  to  rest  in  the  family  vault  in 
Cave  Hill  cemetery.  Thus  closed  the  tragedy  which 
blighted  the  hopes  of  youthful  hearts,  palpitating  with  the 
first  warm  kiss  of  innocent  love. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Miss  Biddy  Einstein  was  engaged  in  reading  the  latest 
issue  of  "The  Flaming  Sword,"  when  Mr.  Nehlmeyer 
stepped  into  the  hall  and  greeted  her  father.  The  topics 
of  the  day  were  freely  discussed,  and  in  a  short  time  the 
trio  were  deeply  involved  in  a  conversation  of  the  justice 
and  wisdom  of  Socialism. 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 


163 


"I  agree  with  The  Flaming  Sword/  "  said  Nehl- 
meyer,  "that  Socialism  is  the  only  remedy  for  the  evils  of 
this  age ;  yet  I  think  it  would  be  better  not  to  criminate 
the  capitalists,  for  that  engenders  a  class  hatred,  and  in 
tensifies  the  situation.  Many  people  imagine  that  the  ob 
ject  of  the  Socialists  consists  in  enmity  to  the  wealthy." 

"There  is  a  splendid  paper  on  that  phase  of  the  ques 
tion  in  this  week's  issue  of  The  Sword/  "  said  Miss  Bid 
dy,  "and  I  think  it  will  contribute  largely  to  dissipate  that 
error.  Have  you  read  it  yet,  Mr.  Nehlmeyer?" 

"No,  I  have  not  seen  the  paper." 

''Well,  here  it  is ;  and  I  want  you  to  read  it  before  we 
go  any  farther." 

"Why,  certainly,  with  much  pleasure,"  said  Mr.  Nehl 
meyer;  and,  taking  the  paper  from  the  young  lady,  he 
perused  the  following  article : 

"The  capitalist  is  not  responsible  for  the  evils  of  the 
competitive  system ;  but  he  is  the  product  of  the  system, 
and  were  he  to  abandon  the  methods  that  govern  modern 
industry,  he  would  be  victimized  by  forces  beyond  his  con 
trol.  Ten  men  engage  in  manufacturing  cloth.  They 
pay  their  employes  three  dollars  per  day,  and  still  they 
make  reasonable  profits.  All  are  satisfied,  with  one  ex 
ception.  This  ambitious  individual  dreams  of  a  crystal 
palace  with  golden  halls.  His  daughter  is  destined  to  rule 
the  elite  society  of  New  Israel.  She  is  too  noble  to  mingle 
with  the  plebeian  herd  of  her  native  land,  and  must  seek 
an  alliance  with  some  aristocratic  house  beyond  the  bil 
lows  of 'the  deep.  But  she  is  not  the  scion  of  a  titled  sire, 
and  she  must  purchase  a  name  with  bars  of  gold.  The 
profits  realized  in  his  business  are  too  meager  to  enable  his 
child  to  triumph  over  the  obscurity  of  her  origin,  and  win 
the  smiles  of  the  gartered  knight  of  the  castle. 

"He  has  one  thousand  men  employed.  If  he  could 
reduce  their  wages  one-third  it  would  enable  him  to  save 
one  thousand  dollars  per  day  on  the  labor  of  his  men. 
This  would  make  an  annual  profit  of  $350,000.  He  informs 
his  employes  that  times  are  hard,  the  financial  market  is 
stringent,  and  they  must  be  contented  with  two  dollars 
per  day.  The  men  remonstrate  with  him  against  this 
measure,  call  his  attention  to  the  fact  that  other  manufac- 


164  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

turers  are  paying  three  dollars  per  day,  and  they  can  not 
work  for  less.  But  the  manufacturer  is  obstinate.  The 
employes  grow  indignant,  hold,  a  meeting,  and  decide  to 
suspend  operations  unless  their  demands  are  granted.  But 
all  in  vain.  The  employer  must  accumulate  a  fortune  in 
a  few  years,  and  this  will  be  an  impossibility  unless  his 
profits  are  enhanced.  The  men  go  on  a  strike.  The  fac 
tory  is  closed.  The  employer  seeks  labor  in  other  cities, 
but  his  efforts  are  useless.  Industry  is  active,  wages  are 
reasonable,  and  his  inducements  are  scorned. 

"His  competitors  are  getting  more  trade,  and  are 
thinking  of  increasing  their  force.  He  sees  that  he  is 
conquered.  He  goes  to  the  strikers  with  a  bland  smile, 
and  requests  them  to  resume  operation,  saying  that  he  is 
unable  to  pay  higher  wages,  but  he  wants  to  be  just  to  his 
employes,  if  he  does  not  make  any  money.  The  next  year 
the  manufacturer  hears  of  a  machine  that  will  dispense 
with  half  the  labor  now  employed.  He  imports  this  ma 
chine  and  selects  five  hundred  of  his  most  efficient  men, 
and  discharges  the  others.  These  who  are  dismissed, 
seeing  that  a  strike  will  have  no  effect,  offer  to  work  for 
two  dollars  and  a  half  per  day.  The  others  drop  to  two 
dollars  per  day,  and  yet  five  hundred  men  are  on  the  labor 
market. 

"They  go  to  the  next  factory  and  offer  their  services 
for  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents  per  day.  But  the  employer 
says,  "I  have  introduced  a  new  machine  which  dispenses 
with  half  of  the  labor  formerly  employed,  and  I  have  just 
dismissed  five  hundred  men."  These  two  brigades  move 
on  to  the  third  factory.  Competition  has  forced  the  man 
agement  in  that  establishment  to  introduce  new  methods, 
and  half  the  men  have  been  discharged.  The  army  of 
fifteen  hundred  moves  on  to  the  fourth  factory,  and  con 
ditions  being  the  same,  their  ranks  are  increased  by  an 
other  regiment.  When  they  reach  the  fifth  factory  they 
are  joined  by  the  entire  working  force,  including  the  pro 
prietor,  for  he,  not  being  able  to  purchase  the  new  ma 
chinery,  is  unable  to  contend  with  his  competitors,  and  is 
driven  from  the  bloody  arena.  A  few  months  more,  and 
the  five  other  establishments  meet  with  the  same  fate. 

"Why  did  not  the  nine  honest  men  combine  against 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  Ii/}5 

the  first  ?  Why  did  they  follow  his  example  ?  Because,  if 
they  had  not  adopted  the  machinery,  and  reduced  the 
labor  force,  and  the  wages  of  their  employes,  the  first 
could  have  put  his  wares  on  the  market  at  a  lower  figure, 
and  ruined  their  trade.  The  capitalist,  therefore,  is  not 
responsible  for  the  evils  of  the  system,  but  he  is  guilty  of 
the  crimes  of  individualism  if  he  supports  the  system. 

"A  husbandman  had  prepared  a  net  to  entrap  the 
crows  that  were  devouring  his  crops,  and  when  he  went  to 
examine  his  contrivance,  he  found  a  stork.  The  bird 
said:  'I  am  not  a  crow,  and  I  have  not  destroyed  your 
crops.'  'That  may  be  very  true,'  said  the  husbandman, 
'but  I  have  discovered  you  with  those  who  were  destroy 
ing  my  crops,  and  you  must  expect  to  suffer  with  the  com 
pany  in  which  you  were  taken.'  So,  if  the  capitalist  sup 
ports  the  system  of  robbery,  he  is  guilty  of  the  crimes  of 
robbery  in  spite  of  his  protestations  of  innocence.  Christ 
says,  'He  that  is- not  with  me  is  against  me/  and  Socialists 
say  that  those  who  are  opposed  to  collectivism  are  the 
enemies  of  mankind. 

"We  have  quite  a  number  of  millionaire  Socialists 
both  in  this  country  and  New  Israel,  and  yet  they  are  com 
pelled  to  adopt  the  methods  of  individualism  until  the  in 
auguration  of  collectivism. 

"When  machinery  was  first  introduced  into  the  coun 
tries  of  the  old  world,  laborers  waged  a  fierce  crusade 
against  the  improvements  in  productions,  for  they  saw 
that  it  meant  privation  and  poverty  to  them  instead  of 
ease  and  luxury.  Bands  of  toilers  were  formed  for  the 
express  purpose  of  destroying  machinery,  and  they  would 
sally  forth  under  the  wings  of  nocturnal  shadows,  and 
break  the  new  invention  that  had  been  introduced.  The 
pen  of  the  poet  would  utterly  fail  to  describe  the  sorrow 
that  followed  in  the  wake  of  invention.  We  read  of  the 
terrible  massacres  of  ancient  history,  and  we  are  shocked 
by  the  barbarities  of  those  savage  times.  But  the  victims 
of  invention  have  been  more  numerous  than  all  the  wars 
that  have  desolated  the  globe  from  the  earliest  days  of  the 
human  race  until  the  glorious  civilization  of  the  nineteenth 
century.  Under  Socialism,  machinery  would  be  utilized  to 
diminish  human  toil,  and  fill  the  home  of  the  laborer  with 


1 BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

every  comfort  and  every  joy.  Instead  of  dismissing  men 
with  the  introduction  of  labor-saving"  improvements  into 
the  factories,  we  have  instanced,  the  entire  force  would  be 
retained,  and  the  hours  of  the  working  day  would  be  di 
minished. 

"We  have  made  wonderful  advances  in  productive  facil 
ities  in  the  last  quarter  of  a  century.  To-day  the  Kidron 
slaughter-houses,  with  the  introduction  of  improved 
methods,  save  large  quantities  of  an  animal  that  were 
formerly  wasted.  The  bone,  sinew,  blood  and  hair  of 
swine  are  utilized,  and  the  by-products  of  a  steer  are  now 
worth  more  than  the  meat.  Forty  different  articles  are 
made  from  the  by-products  of  petroleum.  The  trusts  have 
dispensed  with  the  labor  of  five  hundred  thousand  men 
and  have  thereby  saved  millions  of  dollars.  In  the  course 
of  fifty  years  labor  will  be  almost  dispensed  with,  and 
under  individualism  the  working  class  are  doomed  to 
perish. 

"The  capitalist  will  seek  his  profits  as  usual.  The  two 
great  parties  of  this  country  hold  out  inducements  for  the 
perpetuation  of  individualism,  and  decry  the  pretensions 
of  Socialism.  I  use  individualism  in  the  industrial  sense 
of  the  word.  What  do  the  parties  offer  as  a  panacea  for 
the  ever-increasing  evils  of  the  competitive  system  ?  The 
Protectionists  say  that  we  must  protect  our  laborers  by 
imposing  a  high  tariff  on  all  foreign  imports.  In  the  first 
place,  this  remedy  is  an  insult  to  the  laborer,  who  is  rep 
resented  as  a  helpless  infant,  who  could  not  live  unless 
shielded  by  the  strong  arm  of  the  law.  The  laborer  needs 
no  other  protection  than  the  right  to  the  fruit  of  his  toil. 
If  he  were  not  robbed  by  the  capitalist  of  the  wealth  which 
he  produces,  there  would  be  no  necessity  for  protection. 

"Again,  to  keep  out  foreign  products  in  order  to  pro 
tect  the  laborers  of  this  country  from  the  necessity  of 
competing  with  the  low  wages  of  New  Israel,  is  an  ad 
mission  that  competition  is  disastrous.  If  it  be  the  life  of 
trade,  as  individualism  contends,  why  should  we  adopt 
measures  to  prevent  it?  Why  not  make  it  universal? 
Competition  is  founded  on  the  principle  that  wages  is 
regulated  by  supply  and  demand.  When  supply  is  greater 
than  demand  wages  will  be  low ;  and  when  wages  is  low, 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  167 

competition  forces  down  the  price  of  commodities,  and 
thus  the  requirements  of  the  laborer  can  be  satisfied  with 
his  small  income. 

"But  the  Protectionists  maintain  that  a  high  tariff 
would  not  only  increase  prices  and  therefore  advance 
wages,  but  is  a  source  of  revenue.  This  statement  con 
tains  a  contradiction.  If  the  tariff  is  high  enough  to  pre 
vent  foreign  importations  altogether,  revenue  from  this 
source  immediately  ceases ;  and  if  the  foreign  manufac 
turer  is  enabled  to  sell  his  commodities  in  spite  of  the  high 
tariff,  the  protection  immediately  ceases.  If  we  wish  to 
protect  our  home  industries,  we  should  close  our  harbors 
to  the  ships  of  the  world.  If  we  did  not  wish  to  resort  to 
such  drastic  measures,  it  would  be  cheaper  to  give  a 
bounty  for  the  encouragement  of  our  industries.  To  raise 
this  by  taxation  would  entail  less  expense  than  our  pres 
ent  mode  of  collecting  tariff,  for  now,  in  addition  to  the 
tax  levied  on  industry,  we  are  necessitated  to  keep  an 
army  of  officials  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  this  tax. 
Moreover,  protection  is  based  on  the  supposition  that  we 
are  able  to  consume  all  our  produce,  and  if  other  nations 
did  not  interfere  with  the  extent  of  our  trade  by  the  im 
portation  of  their  materials,  every  furnace  would  be  aglow 
with  the  white  heat  of  industry ;  every  city  would  be  filled 
with  the  noise  of  anvil  and  bellows,  the  hum  of  mill  and 
factory,  the  babel  of  human  voices  exchanging  commodi 
ties  in  the  store  and  on  the  market  square ;  and  every  field 
would  be  alive  with  the  music  of  the  reaper  and  the 
mower ;  and  every  meadow  would  echo  with  the  bleating 
of  the  flocks  and  the  lowing  of  the  kine.  The  painters  of 
these  dazzling  dreams  of  commercial  splendor  forget  that 
we  could  support  the  world  with  our  present  force  of 
mechanical  skill,  and,  therefore,  it  is  puerile  to  think  that 
the  appetites  and  desires  of  the  Toadian  people  can  be  so 
enormously  increased  by  a  high  protective  tariff,  so  as  to 
consume  the  products  of  our  industries.  And  even  if  we 
had  the  desire,  how  can  the  laboring  class  consume  their 
ratio  of  the  products  when  their  purchasing  power  is  so 
reduced  by  the  profit  system? 

"The  object  of  civilization  is  to  give  man  all  the  com- 


1 68 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN. 


forts  of  life,  with  the  least  exertion,  so  that  he  may  de 
vote  his  time  to  mental  pursuits  ;  and  this  is  what  the  gov 
ernment  of  individualism  fails  to  accomplish.  A  farmer 
is  engaged  in  raising  corn.  Some  distance  away  another 
husbandman  grows  wheat.  A  middleman  opens  a  store, 
and  buys  the  corn  of  the  first  for  fifty  cents  per  bushel  and 
sells  it  to  the  latter  for  seventy-five  cents  per  bushel.  He, 
likewise,  purchases  the  wheat  of  the  latter  for  fifty  cents 
per  bushel  and  sells  it  to  the  former  for  seventy-five  cents 
per  bushel.  The  middleman  makes  twenty-five  cents  on 
every  transaction,  and  the  farmers  lose  the  same  amount. 
The  middleman  is  a  parasite  living  on  the  labor  of  his  two 
customers.  But  the  picture  is  very  faintly  drawn.  Here 
we  have  one  parasite  living  on  two  producers,  whereas 
there  are  twenty  parasites  subsisting  on  the  toil  of  one 
producer.  Ninety-five  per  cent  of  our  population  are  para 
sites,  and  that  is  the  reason  for  the  slow  advance  of  So 
cialism.  Men  rebel  against  the  introduction  of  a  just  sys 
tem  of  industry,  for  economic  justice  would  force  them  to 
earn  their  living  by  the  sweat  of  their  brow. 

"The  remedies  proposed  by  the  exponents  of  the  two 
great  parties  call  to  my  mind  the  ancient  fable.  The  cat 
offered  her  assistance  to  the  sick  hen,  and  the  latter  re 
plied,  "Do  you  be  good  enough  to  leave  me,  and  I  have  no 
fear  but  I  shall  soon  be  well."  Let  the  Protectionists  and 
the  Liberals  and  all  the  throng  of  parasites  get  off  the 
back  of  the  laborer,  and  he  will  soon  be  well,  prosperous 
and  contented.  The  Presidential  campaign  is  inaugu 
rated;  each  party  clamors  for  power,  promising  grand 
results  if  elected.  The  successful  party  is  enthroned,  and 
its  disciples  are  looking  for  the  birth  of  a  new  era,  but, 
like  the  mountain  in  labor,  the  disgruntled  multitude  are 
undeceived  in  the  birth  of  a  mouse. 

"We  have  seen  that  the  Protectionist  party  offers  no 
remedies  for  the  social  evils  that  afflict  civilized  nations. 
The  specific  proposed  by  the  Liberals  is  equally  futile.  If 
we  sell  our  grain  to  Dan,  the  Toadian  farmer  is  con 
strained  to  compete  with  the  poorly  paid  husbandmen  of 
Kurush,  Arabic  and  Simeon.  Dan  imports  her  hardware 
and  cloth  to  Toadia,  and  our  laborers  must  enter  into 
competition  and  accept  the  low  wages  paid  by  the  manu- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  169 

facturers  of  Asher  and  Zabulon  to  the  employes  engaged 
in  these  industries.  Hence,  competition  becomes  uni 
versal,  and,  therefore,  more  complex.  The  laborers  can 
not  combine  and  make  a  world-wide  fight  against  capital ; 
but  the  latter  can  consolidate  its  forces  against  labor, 
and  arm  itself  with  a  sword  of  power  that  Omnipotence 
alone  can  annihilate.  Free  trade  is  a  question  that  con 
cerns  the  capitalist  alone,  but  has  no  message  for  labor. 
In  the  universal  struggle  for  trade,  the  stronger  nations 
succeed,  and  the  weaker  must  perish. 

'To  presume  that  we  can  feed  the  world  implies  that 
other  nations  cannot  feed  themselves.  Now,  if  they  can 
not  feed  themselves,  they  must  produce  other  articles 
which  they  sell  to  us  in  exchange  for  our  commodities, 
and  hence  we  must  import  as  much  in  one  line  as  we  ex 
port  in  another,  as  foreign  nations  cannot  buy  our  pro 
duce,  unless  they  sell  sufficient  quantities  of  their  produce 
to  make  their  purchases.  Trade  between  two  nations  is 
based  on  the  presumption  that  one  country  can  produce 
certain  commodities  cheaper  than  another.  Our  facilities 
for  raising  wheat  are  greater  than  those  enjoyed;  by  the 
farmers  of  Dan;  but  the  Danish  factories  can  produce 
cloth  with  less  espense  than  the  factories  of  Toadia. 
Hence  we  sell  cereals  to  the  operatives  in  the  Danish  fac 
tories  ;  but  they  must  sell  their  cloth  to  our  people,  in  or 
der  to  get  money  to  make  the  purchases.  Therefore,  the 
employes  in  our  manufacturing  establishments  lose  as 
much  trade  by  the  importation  of  cloth  as  our  farmers 
make  by  the  exportation  of  wheat. 

"There  are  some  commodities  which  cannot  be  grown 
in  this  country,  such  as  tea  and  coffee,  and  we  purchase 
these  from  Nachin,  and  pay  for  them  in  such  products 
of  our  climate  as  cannot  be  raised  in  the  Orient.  Since 
every  nation  supports  itself,  and  must  support  itself, 
foreign  trade  is  simply  an  exchange  for  equivalents,  and 
does  not  increase  the  sale  of  any  nation  above  its  pur 
chases,  and  the  scramble  for  foreign  trade  is  simply  a 
waste  of  energy.  To-day  both  parties  are  building  their 
hopes  on  foreign  trade.  The  Protectionists  claim  that  we 
should  hold  Heron  and  Ammon  and  extend  our  dominion 
into  the  Orient,  for  the  sake  of  foreign  trade ;  and  while 


170  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

the  free  trade  party  does  not  advocate  territorial  expan 
sion,  yet  it  is  founded  on  commercial  expansion. 

"Both  contend  that  commercial  expansion  is  the  glory 
of  the  nation.  It  is,  they  say,  essential  to  our  industries, 
and  without  it  we  are  doomed  to  perish.  We  have  seen 
that  this  doctrine  is  an  absurdity,  and  history  contradicts 
the  assumption  that  foreign  trade  advances  the  prosper 
ity  of  nations.  For  one  hundred  years  Dan  has  been  the 
greatest  commercial  nation  in  the  trans-arctic  world.  She 
has  been  feeding  on  the  weaker  nations,  and  yet  she  is 
full  of  paupers.  The  condition  of  the  laboring  class  is  far 
more  deplorable  than  it  was  in  the  thirteenth  century,  be 
fore  foreign  trade  was  known.  Her  people  have  been 
driven  by  the  pangs  of  hunger  to  seek  refuge  in  frozen 
zones,  and  her  colonists,  though  bled  by  the  plutocrats 
of  Hosea,  are  more  prosperous  than  her  home  popula 
tion.  A  few  years  ago  a  number  of  immigrants  were  on 
a  ship  bound  for  the  shores  of  the  New  World.  When 
they  reached  this  country  they  were  interviewed  by  a  re 
porter  for  a  daily  paper,  and  each  was  requested  to  give 
his  reason  for  leaving  his  native  land  and  seeking- refuge 
under  the  glitter  of  western  stars.  Many  acknowledged 
that  it  was  poverty  that  brought  them  to  Toadia.  But 
among  them  was  an  Ephraimite,  who  said,  "It  was  not 
poverty  that  brought  me  to  this  country,  for  I  had  plenty 
of  that  at  home/ 

"We  have  made  much  of  the  distressed  condition  of 
the  Ephraimitic  population ;  but  statistics  prove  that  the 
poverty  of  the  Danish  laborer  is  more  deplorable  than 
the  peasants  of  the  sister  island.  The  people  of  Ephraim 
imagine  that  it  is  the  foreign  government  which  has  im 
poverished  them,  and  their  open  rebellion  against  the 
domination  of  the  Lion  has  attracted  the  attention  of  all 
civilized  nations,  and  all  peoples  have  become  familiar 
with  their  sad  conditions.  The  Danish  people  are  ruled  by 
the  court  of  Hosea,  the  capital  of  their  native  land ;  and, 
actuated  by  a  spirit  of  love  and  patriotism,  they  attribute 
their  poverty  to  natural  causes,  instead  of  social  malad 
justments.  It  is  the  bad  government  that  oppressed 
Ephraim,  and  the  same  bad  government  has  impoverished 
Dan,  and  has  blighted  every  civilized  nation  in  the  world. 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  1^1 

It  is  the  government  of  plutocracy,  waging  an  incessant 
and  remorseless  war  against  the  rights  of  labor,  against 
justice,  love  and  humanity.  Home  rule,  or  independence, 
would  be  no  advantage  to  the  Ephraimites  as  long  as  the 
means  of  production  are  in  the  hands  of  a  few  titled 
drones. 

"Asher  has  enjoyed  foreign  trade  longer  than  any 
other  nation,  and  yet  her  people  are  slowly  starving  and 
passing  away.  Nephthali  and  Zabulon  have  a  large  trade 
in  the  distant  realms  of  the  east  and  west,  and  among  the 
islands  of  the  stormy  flood,  and  yet  their  people  are 
poorer  than  they  were  six  hundred  years  ago,  when  the 
light  of  civilization  was  lingering  on  their  mountain  peaks 
and  the  shadows  of  barbarism  still  brooded  over  their  val 
leys,  and  wrapped  their  rills  and  streams  and  meads  and 
leas  in  the  sombre  folds  of  pagan  darkness. 

"The  Protectionists  and  Liberals  remind  me  of  the 
story  enshrined  in  the  works  of  the  ancient  fabulist.  A 
man  whose  head  was  crowned  with  a  wealth  of  black  hair 
streaked  with  grey,  married  two  wives.  One  was  sev 
eral  years  his  senior,  and  the  other  was  several  years 
his  junior.  The  elder  lady  was  anxious  to  see  her 
husband  don  the  appearance  of  age,  so  that  she  would  not 
suffer  by  contrast,  and  she  manifested  her  solicitude  by 
pulling  out  the  black  hairs  from  his  head.  The  other 
spouse  was  equally  desirous  that  he  should  retain  his 
youthful  appearance,  and  she  employed  her  leisure  hours 
in  pulling  out  the  grey  hairs.  The  gallant  hero  of  two 
fond  hearts  was  delighted  with  the  manifestations  of  af 
fection  on  the  part  of  his  wives,  till  finally  he  was  sur 
prised  to  learn  that  he  was  entirely  bald  by  the  double  op 
eration.  The  laborer  to-day  is  being  picked  by  the  two 
great  parties  of  the  nation  under  the  pretense  of  affec 
tion,  and  in  a  few  years  from  now  he  will  realize  the  sad 
condition  of  his  nakedness." 

"That  is  a  very  able  defense  of  Socialism,"  said  Mr. 
Nehlmeyer,  when  he  had  finished  the  communication. 

"I  think,"  said  Mr.  Einstein,  "that  it  contains  the 
most  cogent  plea  that  I  have  ever  read  on  the  question." 

For  some  time  they  discussed  the  labor  problem,  the 
pretensions  of  the  plutocratic  minority,  that  governed  the 


172  BEYOND  THE  BLACE  OCEAN 

two  leading  parties,  and  the  progress  that  the  reform 
movement  was  making  among  the  masses. 

"I  see,"  said  Mr.  Einstein,  "there  are  now  twenty-four 
Socialist  papers  in  Toadia,  and  within  the  last  few  years 
more  than  fifty  books  and  pamphlets  have  been  written 
in  defense  of  collectivism." 

"That  is  very  encouraging,"  replied  Mr.  Nehlmeyer. 
"It  shows  that  the  masses  are  thinking.  Ten  years  ago  it 
was  dangerous  to  speak  of  Socialism  among  cultured  peo 
ple,  and  the  laboring  class  considered  it  a  chimera." 

"Well,  like  everything  in  the  history  of  civilization," 
commented  Mr.  Einstein,  "it  takes  time  to  develop  the 
idea.  In  fact,  all  new  methods  have  been  forced  on  the 
world  by  the  law  of  necessity.  Fifty  years  ago  the  inau 
guration  of  Socialism  would  have  been  a  failure,  for  in 
dustry  had  not  reached  that  stage  of  perfection.  The 
trusts  are  systemizing  industry,  and  it  is  now  time  for  so 
ciety  to  assume  the  duty  of  production  and  distribution." 

"That  is  very  true,  and  I  hope  the  day  is  near  at  hand 
when  we  will  have  the  co-operative  commonwealth." 

With  these  words  Mr.  Nehlmeyer  rose  to  depart,  ex 
pressing  his  thanks  for  the  pleasure  afforded  him  by  his 
visit  to  the  Einstein  home,  and  promising  to  return  at  an 
early  date. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

During  the  first  week  of  September  the  trial  of  the 
editors  for  the  murder  of  Teddy  Einstein  took  place.  It 
was  proved  by  more  than  fifty  witnesses  that  McGillicuddy 
was  at  Labor  Hall  before  eight  o'clock  on  the  evening  of 
the  murder,  and  that  he  left  there  near  ten,  and  returned 
directly  to  the  hotel.  No  one  saw  him  leave  after  that 
time.  Although  the  note  to  Teddy  was  signed  in  McGil- 
licuddy's  handwriting,  yet  he  persistently  denied  any 
knowledge  of  the  note.  Abraham  was  requested  to  write 
the  same  note  in  the  courthouse ;  and  although  the  ex 
perts  claimed  that  there  were  some  slight  discrepancies  in 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  173 

the  formation  of  some  of  the  letters,  yet  they  maintained 
that  this  could  easily  occur,  that  there  was,  no  doubt,  an 
attempt  to  disguise  the  chirography  in  the  first  note,  and 
they  sturdily  maintained  that  the  same  man  had  written 
the  two  notes.  The  vest  was  brought  into  court,  and 
Abraham  admitted  that  it  was  his  garment,  but  claimed 
that  he  did  not  wear  it  the  evening  that  the  murder  was 
committed. 

"How  do  you  remember  that  so  distinctly?"  inquired 
the  attorney  for  the  State. 

"Because  I  had  an  invitation  to  take  tea  at  Mr.  Loh- 
man's  at  five  o'clock ;  and  at  noon  I  put  on  my  best 
clothes,  a  new  suit,  which  I  had  worn  but  a  few  times ; 
and  I  do  not  presume  that  you  will  call  that  a  new  vest." 

It  was  clear  to  the  court  that  McGillicuddy  had  not 
committed  the  crime,  for  his  alibi  was  too  well  sustained ; 
and,  although  the  handwriting  and  the  vest  were  sus 
picious  circumstances,  yet  the  jury  rendered  a  verdict  of 
acquittal  without  one  dissenting  voice. 

Isaac  was  called  the  next  morning,  and  the  court 
house,  including  halls  and  rooms,  were  crowded  by  the 
friends  and  enemies  of  the  prisoner,  newspaper  reporters, 
curiosity-seekers,  and  the  idlers  of  the  city  who  had  no 
other  place  to  go.  The  first  witness  was  Mrs.  Gehtheimer. 
She  swore  that  Teddy  Einstein  came  to  her  home  in  the 
afternoon,  and  showed  her  the  letter  which  had  been  found 
in  his  pocket  by  the  officers. 

"He  was  pale  and  worried,  but  he  said  that  he  had  not 
spoken  disrespectfully  of  Gilhooley's  mother,  and  he  felt 
that  the  affair  could  easily  be  averted.  He  said  that  he 
had  written  to  the  editors,  offering  to  meet  them  at  the 
monument,  and  promising  to  be  able  to  exculpate  himself 
from  the  charges  contained  in  the  challenge.  We  tried  to 
dissuade  Teddy  from  going,  for  we  knew  that  those  young 
men  were  dangerous  characters,  and  were  silent  enemies 
of  the  Einstein  family,  and  were  merely  using  their  influ 
ence  for  political  purposes." 

"How  do  you  know  that  McGillicuddy  and  Gilhooley 
were  secret  enemies  of  the  Einstein  family?"  asked  the 
attorney  for  the  defense. 

"Because  I  have  heard  it  frequently ;  and  they  even 


174  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

made  disparaging  and  insulting  remarks  about  Miss  Biddy 
and  Miss  Mary  Ann  in  the  presence  of  Mr.  Reisan  and 
Mr.  Gehtheimer." 

"Why  did  not  Teddy  Einstein  take  your  advice,  and 
keep  away  from  the  Park  that  night  ?" 

"He  had  so  much  confidence  in  the  gentlemen  that  he 
did  not  think  they  would  injure  him.  He  said  they  were 
engaged  to  his  sisters,  and  they  thought  that  his  people 
were  the  grandest  in  the  city.  He  seemed  to  be  hypno 
tized  by  those  men,  though  he  admitted  that  unfriendly 
relations  had  existed  between  them  and  him  for  some 
time,  on  account  of  the  attention  he  had  been  paying  to 
my  daughter.  But  he  said  that  it  was  only  a  family  affair, 
and  he  did  not  consider  it  serious." 

"What  time  did  Teddy  leave  for  the  Park?" 

"We  took  him  down  in  the  carriage  about  seven  in  the 
evening.  Mr.  Gehtheimer  and  Lord  Jesse  went  with  us. 
We  left  Teddy  at  the  monument  at  about  forty  minutes 
past  seven.  We  told  him  that  we  would  take  a  drive,  and 
call  for  him  at  about  nine.  Teddy  said  that  it  would  not 
be  necessary,  as  his  business  might  detain  him  longer, 
and  then,  again,  it  might  be  over  in  a  few  minutes,  and 
that  he  would  return  in  the  car.  We  drove  by  the  monu 
ment  about  twenty  minutes  past  nine,  or  a  few  minutes 
later,  but  as  we  saw  no  one,  we  went  home." 

"Did  you  not  see  Gilhooley  in  the  Park?"  inquired  the 
attorney  for  the  State. 

"We  saw  him  after  we  left  the  monument.  We  passed 
him  as  he  was  walking  toward  the  entry." 

"How  did  he  look?" 

"It  was  rather  dark  in  the  place  where  we  passed  him, 
and  I  did  not  notice.  In  fact,  Lord  Jesse  did  not  see  him 
either,  that  is,  he  did  not  recognize  him  till  Mr.  Gehthei 
mer  made  the  remark  that  the  gentleman  we  passed  was 
Mr.  Gilhooley." 

"Did  you  see  Teddy  Einstein  after  you  left  him  at  the 
monument?" 

"Not  till  I  saw  his  corpse  at  his  father's  residence." 

The  next  witness  was  Mr.  Gehtheimer,  who  confirmed 
the  testimony  of  his  wife  in  every  particular.  Lord  Jesse 
was  then  called  on  to  give  his  evidence.  He  stated  that  he 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  175 

was  at  the  Gehtheimer  mansion  for  dinner  that  evening, 
"but  as  I  was  a  friend  of  the  editors,  the  family  did  not 
speak  to  me  about  the  matter.  They  said  they  were  go 
ing  for  a  drive  in  the  Park,  and  they  asked  me  to  accom 
pany  them.  They  said  that  Teddy  had  an  engagement 
to  meet  some  friends  at  the  monument,  but  did  not  men 
tion  the  names  of  the  persons  he  was  to  meet,  nor  the  na 
ture  of  the  business  they  were  to  transact." 

"Did  you  not  think  the  Park  was  a  peculiar  place  to 
transact  business  ?" 

"Well,  indeed,  that  thought  never  entered  my  mind, 
as  no  intimation  had  been  made,  and  my  suspicions  were 
not  in  the  least  excited." 

"Did  you  see  Teddy  Einstein  leave  the  carriage?" 

"I  did." 

"Where  did  he  leave  the  carriage?" 

"At  the  monument." 

"What  time  was  that?" 

"I  presume  that  it  was  near  eight  o'clock." 

"Did  you  return  to  the  monument?" 

"Yes,  a  little  while  after  nine." 

"Did  you  look  at  your  watch?" 

"No,  but  when  we  were  more  than  a  mile  beyond  the 
monument,  I  heard  the  clocks  striking  nine,  and  called 
Mrs.  Gehtheimer's  attention  to  the  fact  that  it  was  getting 
late." 

"Did  you  see  Teddy  again  that  night?" 

"I  did  not." 

"Did  you  see  Gilhooley  in  the  Park  that  night?" 

"I  saw  a  man  walking  along  toward  the  entry,  as  we 
were  leaving  the  Park,  and  Mr.  Gehtheimer  said,  There 
is  Gilhooley/  and  I  turned  quickly  and  recognized  him." 

Ten  other  witneses  testified  that  they  saw  Gilhooley 
enter  the  Park,  between  half-past  seven  and  eight  o'clock. 
Three  men  passing  the  monument  some  time  after  eight 
o'clock  had  seen  Gilhooley  sitting  on  a  bench  near  by,  but 
only  one  was  personally  acquainted  with  Isaac.  This 
gentleman  was  Samuel  Lekenmeyer.  He  addressed  the 
editor  by  name,  and  the  latter  responded,  but  did  not  seem 
inclined  to  encourage  a  conversation.  Five  witnesses 


176  BEYOND   THE   BLACK  OCEAN 

testified  they  saw  Gilhooley  walking  toward  the  Park 
gate  after  nine  o'clock. 

The  testimony  was  completed  and  Isaac  was  requested 
to  take  the  stand  and  give  his  version  of  the  story.  Every 
eye  was  fixed  on  him  as  he  sat  by  the  desk  of  the  vener 
able  Judge.  Many  said  that  he  was  the  picture  of  inno 
cence.  Others  claimed  that  it  requires  an  innocent  face 
to  make  a  consummate  villain ;  while  morxe  pretended  they 
saw  murder  stamped  on  every  feature.  Isaac  was  asked 
to  say  what  he  knew  about  the  murder  of  Teddy  Einstein, 
and  he  responded  that  he  "knew  nothing  more  than  has 
been  said.  I  am  innocent  of  the  charge  preferred  against 
me.  This  is  a  plot  to  destroy  my  life  for  political  pur 
poses,  and  I  hope  that  God  will  assist  me  in  the  hour  of 
my  trial,  and  allow  me  to  live  long  enough  to  clear  my 
name  from  infamy.'" 

The  jury  retired,  and  in  less  than  an  hour  returned 
with  the  verdict  of  murder  in  the  first  degree,  with  the 
penalty  of  death  for  the  crime.  The  enemies  of  Isaac  sent 
a  shout  of  triumph  through  the  crowded  courtroom.  But 
he  had  friends,  and  their  devotion  was  manifested  in  the 
sighs  and  sobs  and  shrieks  and  wails  that  rose  above  the 
coarse,  brutal  yells  of  the  fiends  who  long  had  thirsted 
for  the  blood  of  the  two  young  men,  who  had  so  valiantly 
defended  the  cause  of  justice.  Abraham  sat  beside  his 
college  companion,  and  offered  to  sacrifice  his  life  if  it 
were  necessary  to  rescue  him  from  the  felon's  grave.  Miss 
Biddy  threw  her  arms  around  him  and  cried  so  piteously 
that  the  lawyers,  Judge  and  jury  wept._ 

"My  dear  boy,"  she  moaned,  "what  have  they  done 
to  you?  They  have  killed  my  only  brother,  and  now 
they  will  rob  me  of  my  dear  friend.  Yes,  Isaac,  you  are 
innocent.  We  know  that  you  are  innocent.  You  are  too 
noble  to  commit  a  cowardly  crime.  My  darling  boy,  you 
must  not  die.  O,  it  will  break  my  heart !  O,  Judge,  please 
save  him !  He  is  not  guilty.  You  do  not  know  him. 
What !  my  dear  Isaac  guilty  of  killing  my  brother !  No, 
Isaac,  no  !  You  did  not  do  it !  I  love  you,  and  I  will  love 
you  forever !" 

Miss  Mary  Ann  was  weeping  with  one  arm  around  her 
sister's  neck  and  the  other  resting  on  Isaac's  shoulder. 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  177 

The  court  was  disturbed  by  the  hysterical  screams  of 
Mrs.  Gehtheimer,  who  was  weeping  with  her  daughter 
for  the  loss  of  a  son-in-law. 

"My  Teddy  killed!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Gehtheimer; 
''murdered  by  that  fiend !  Murdered  in  cold  blood  by  that 
vile  brute!  O,  gentlemen,  hang  him  immediately !  His 
very  breath  is  poison  to  the  community.  Take  him  out 
and  burn  him  at  the  stake !" 

Mrs.  Reisan  was  consoling  her  friend,  and  assuring 
her  that  ample  justice  would  be  done  those  two  men  and 
their  confederates.  Their  screams  of  hypocrisy  created 
sympathy  among  the  rabble,  and  an  effort  was  made  to 
deliver  speedy  justice  upon  the  head  of  the  culprit.  A 
body  of  men  took  up  the  cry,  and  called  for  the  Sheriff  to 
"Give  up  the  prisoner!  We  will  hang  him  right  here!" 
and  they  made  a  rush  toward  Gilhooley.  But,  like  a  flash 
of  lightning,  a  hundred  pistols  were  displayed,  and  the 
dastardly  mob  trembled  and  fled,  and  Gilhooley  was  taken 
to  the  jail  to  await  his  execution,  which  was  fixed  for 
the  eighteenth  of  October. 

Mr.  Reisan  and  his  wife  invited  Lord  Jesse  to  enter 
their  carriage,  and  on  the  way  home  the  question  of  Gil- 
hooley's  condemnation  was  freely  discussed. 

"What  do  you  think  of  your  friend  now  ?"  asked  Mrs. 
Reisan. 

"I  am  astounded  !"  replied  Lord  Jesse.  "There  can  be 
no  doubt  that  Gilhooley  killed  Teddy  Einstein,  and  that 
McGillicuddy  was  his  accomplice,  inasmuch  as  he  coun 
tenanced  the  murder,  and  assisted  in  planning  the  meet 
ing  in  the  Park." 

"How  do  you  account  for  the  blood  on  McGillicuddy's 
vest,  if  he  were  not  an  actual  participant  in  the  crime?" 

"That  could  easily  have  happened  without  the  pres 
ence  of  McGillicuddy.  Perhaps  Gilhooley  by  mistake,  or 
purposely,  wore  Abraham's  vest  that  evening.  In  any 
case  they  are  both  equally  guilty,  and  should  be  executed 
on  the  same  day.  We  make  mistakes  sometimes,  and  it  is 
only  by  experience  that  we  learn  our  errors.  I  would 
have  sacrificed  my  life  for  those  men,  because  I  thought 
they  were  the  very  soul  of  honor  and  seemed  to  have  but 
one  ambition,  the  amelioration  of  the  laboring  class.  As 


I?  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

I  had  suffered  for  the  triumph  of  justice  in  my  native  land, 
and  came  to  this  country  to  realize  my  dreams  of  reforma 
tion,  it  was  quite  natural  that  I  should  affiliate  with  the 
editors  of  'The  Flaming  Sword.'  However,  I  see  now 
that  I  was  beguiled,  and  I  have  not  the  slightest  hesitancy 
in  concurring  with  the  general  opinion  that  all  reforms 
of  that  character  are  conducted  by  men  of  the  darkest 
hue,  whose  ultimate  design  is  the  subversion- of  legitimate 
government,  and  the  inauguration  of  bloodshed  and  an 
archy.  I  shall,  this  day,  abandon  the  movement,  and  con 
fine  my  associations  to  respectable  society." 

"I  hope  you  do  not  think  of  leaving  us,  my  lord?'* 
asked  Mrs.  Reisan. 

"By  no  means.  My  impressions  of  Deboreh  are  most 
pleasant ;  and  I  shall  remain  here  for  some  time — perhaps 
may  make  it  my  future  home.  This  determination  would 
enable  me  to  enjoy  the  company  of  the  many  friends  I 
have  made  since  my  arrival  in  the  city.  There  is  no  place 
on  earth  more  congenial  to  me ;  and  I  shall  never  forget 
the  kindness  of  your  people  in  condoning  the  indiscre 
tions  of  my  associations.  They  constantly  warned  me ; 
but  I  was  too  obstinate  to  accept  their  admonitions.  They 
did  not  abandon  me,  but  politely  waited  till  time  would 
reveal  the  character  of  my  friends,  and  the  perils  to  which 
I  exposed  my  honor  and  reputation." 

"I  am  delighted,  my  lord,  that  you  have  decided  to 
grace  Deboreh  society  with  your  accomplishments." 

By  this  time  the  carriage  had  reached  the  Reisan  man 
sion,  and  the  guest  was  conducted  to  the  drawing-room 
by  his  charming  hostess. 

At  the  hotel  a  number  of  people  were  discussing  the 
justice  of  the  sentence  which  the  court  had  passed  on 
young  Isaac.  Mr.  Hellenmeyer  said : 

"I  would  not  believe  that  Gilhooley  is  guilty  if  all  the 
angels  would  come  down  from  their  starry  thrones  and 
declare  that  they  had  seen  him  commit  the  crime. 

"By  the  way,  Samuel,"  said  Mr.  Beterman  to  the 
speaker,  "what  do  you  think  of  Mrs.  Gehtheimer's  affir 
mation  in  reference  to  the  insincerity  of  the  editors  toward 
the  Einstein  family?" 

"That  is  an  infernal  lie,  like  everything  else  she  said ! 


BEYOND   THE    BLACK  OCEAN 


179 


That  woman  would  tell  a  lie  when  the  truth  would  suit  her 
purpose  better.  And  old  Reisan  and  Gehtheimer  swear 
ing  that  they  heard  Isaac  and  Abraham  speak  disrespect 
fully  of  the  Einstein  girls !  Every  one  knows  that  it  is  a 
contemptible  falsehood.  Those  young  men  would  die  for 
Miss  Biddy  and  Miss  Mary  Ann." 

"Did  you  ever  hear  anything  about  Gilhooley's  moth 
er?"  questioned  Beterman. 

"Why,  she  was  an  Engeddi  girl,  who  married  against 
her  father's  wishes,  and  was  disinherited.  Her  husband 
lost  his  life  in  a  shipwreck,  and  his  widow  and  son  went 
to  live  with  the  child's  grandmother  at  Meron.  No,  Gil 
hooley's  antecedents  are  unquestionable,  and  the  McGilli- 
cuddys  are  the  first  people  in  Baron.  But  the  character 
of  their  traducer  would  disgrace  any  public  woman  in  the 
city." 

"Have  you  heard  there  is  trouble  in  the  Reisan 
home?" 

"Yes,  there  has  been  some  scandalous  talk  about  that 
woman,  and  there  is  cause  for  all  the  ugly  reports  that 
have  been  circulating.  It  seems  that  Reisan  has  threat 
ened  to  get  a  divorce  from  his  wife  or  go  away  and  aban 
don  her  to  the  wiles  of  the  Danish  nobleman," 


CHAPTER  XX. 

"Good  morning,  Mr.  Strauss !" 

"Good  morning.    How  are  you,  Mr.  Nieman?" 

"Mr.  Strauss,  did  you  read  The  Flaming  Sword'  this 
week  ?" 

"No.  I  just  arrived  last  night,  and  I  have  been  so 
busy  this  morning  I  have  not  had  time  yet.  I  heard  that 
McGillicuddy  is  going  to  continue'  the  paper,  and  bid  de 
fiance  to  the  host  of  hypocrites  and  knaves  who  have  at 
tempted  to  sully  the  character  of  the  laboring  class  by 
bringing  the  leaders  of  the  reform  movement  into  disre 
pute." 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

"Don't  you  think  that  this  is  a  plot  to  destroy  the  So 
cialist  party?" 

"Why,  of  course  it  is ;  but  the  enemies  of  the  people 
have  miscalculated.  It  has  won  thousands,  nay,  millions, 
of  friends  for  the  persecuted  editors,  and1  it  would  be 
hazardous  for  any  man  to  criminate  Isaac  Gilhooley.  Mc- 
Gillicuddy  has  received  messages  from  all  over  the  Re 
public,  encouraging  the  work,  and  offers  to  give  financial 
assistance  are  so  numerous  that  it  is  impossible  to  recog 
nize  them  even  by  a  note  of  thanks." 

"McGillicuddy  has  ably  exposed  the  motives  of  the 
conspirators,  and  he  says  that  he  will  not  rest  until  they 
are  behind  the  iron  bars." 

"A  sensation  is  in  store  for  the  public,  and  when  it 
comes  the  triumph  of  justice  will  be  the  grandest  ever 
recorded  in  history." 

"Here  is  the  paper,  and,  as  I  have  an  engagement  at 
ten,  I  will  leave  you  alone  to  read ;  and  be  sure  to  notice 
the  article  on  the  national  ownership  of  land  and  rail 
roads." 

Mr.  Strauss  took  the  paper  and  read  the  following 
communication : 

"My  advocacy  of  the  common  ownership  of  land  has 
excited  the  ire  of  the  Deboreh  Herald ;  and  the  editor  of 
that  journal  launches  his  anathemas  against  the  defend 
ers  of  confiscation.  I  do  not  advocate  confiscation,  but 
nevertheless  I  hold  that  the  adoption  of  that  measure 
would  involve  no  injustice.  Society  as  a  whole  has 
created  land  values,  and  every  individual  of  the  common 
wealth  is  entitled  to  the  enjoyment  of  these  values ;  and 
we  should  not  compensate  any  one  for  the  possession 
of  advantages  which  we  have  inherited  as  members  of  the 
body  politic.  Should  the  slave  compensate  his  master  for 
the  gift  of  liberty?  Should  not  the  slave  be  compensated 
for  the  years  that  he  has  toiled  for  the  master?  If  the 
pirates  of  Tison  despoiled  commerce  to  the  extent  of  ten 
million  dollars  annually,  should  their  victims  be  com 
pelled  to  purchase  their  immunity  from  further  depreda 
tions? 

"It  is  admitted  that  all  original  titles  in  land  were 
founded  on  robbery,  but  they  have  become  legitimate  by 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  l8l 

law.  The  settlers  of  Toadia  drove  the  aborigines  from 
their  happy  hunting-ground,  and  desecrated  the  graves 
of  their  sires.  The  pioneers  have  perished,  and  the  creed 
they  established  on  the  shores  of  the  New  World,  amidst 
scenes  of  blood  that  would  tarnish  the  history  of  the 
rudest  age,  has  been  lost  in  the  flight  of  time.  The  plant 
ers  of  Nedad  and  the  children  of  Moron  and  Lizan  have 
passed  away.  The  Asherites  of  Deboreh  and  the  first 
immigrants  to  Jannace  and  Damascus  are  known  no 
more.  The  colonists  of  Manasseh  and  Reuben,  and  the 
pioneers  in  New  Gallilee  and  Rohab,  have  left  only  their 
language  as  a  relic  of  the  primeval  history  of  the  Israel- 
itic  nations  in  the  western  hemisphere.  New  peoples 
have  crossed  the  foaming  billows,  and  now  occupy  the 
land  of  the  pioneers.  Immigrants  from  the  shores  of  the 
Jamden  and  the  Mehan,  the  Elbin  and  the  Reinecan,  the 
Meuran  and  the  Woheil  have  sought  an  asylum  in  the 
land  of  the  setting  sun.  Deprived  of  education  and  de 
barred  from  the  homes  of  culture  and  refinement  by  the 
lack  of  mental  attainments,  they  came  to  our  shores  with 
only  the  gifts  of  nature  to  assist  them  in  the  struggle  of 
life.  They  were  the  sons  of  toil,  and'  their  faces  had  been 
bronzed  beneath  the  skies  of  the  Old  World,  They  landed 
on  our  shores,  and  by  thrift  and  industry  they  accumulate 
a  fortune,  which  they  invest  in  land,  and  now,  says  the 
Herald,  would  you  confiscate  their  property  ? 

"If  the  original  titles  rest  on  theft,  then  all  subsequent 
titles  are  equally  worthless.  Had  these  individuals  not 
cast  their  lots  under  the  palladium  of  society,  they  would 
never  have  accumulated  fortunes.  Let  them  go  beyond 
the  borders  of  civilization ;  let  them  wander  to  the  wilds 
of  Nahad  or  to  the  interior  of  Arabia ;  let  them  pitch  their 
tents  beneath  the  shadows  of  Lahan's  towering  peaks,  or 
on  the  snow-capped  summits  of  the  Himalcon;  let  them 
follow  the  footsteps  of  the  savage  to  the  depths  of  the 
Unknown  Continent,  and  change  the  sands  of  Sohan  into 
a  garden  of  Eden ;  and  yet  all  the  gold  they  may  discover 
and  all  the  lands  they  may  possess,  and  all  the  treasures 
they  may  horde,  will  be  worthless,  for  it  is-  society  that 
makes  all  these  articles  valuable.  The  human  race  owns 


1 82 


BEYOHD  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 


the  earth,  and  when  an  individual  appropriates  a  portion 
to  himself -he  is  simply  stealing  from  society. 

"Did  the  purchasers  of  the  land  endow  it  with  its 
present  value?  No,  the  value  of  the  land  is  the  growth  of 
society,  it  is  the  growth  of  the  present  and  past  genera 
tions.  Let  us  go  back  through  the  shadows  of  history. 
Let  us  recount  the  perils  that  beset  the  pioneers  in  the 
wilderness,  the  privations  they  endured  in  the  early  days, 
the  blood  that  was  shed  and  the  lives  that  were  sacrificed 
in  the  Scythian  wars,  in  the  revolution  and  in  the  suppres 
sion  of  the  rebellion.  In  the  year  1800  the  Declaration  of 
Independence  was  adopted,  and  the  knell  of  bondage 
echoed  through  the  mountain  dells  and  sombre  forests  of 
the  western  world.  The  roar  of  the  cannon  from  the 
heights  that  environ  Engeddi,  ceased  not  to  send  forth 
its  doleful  music  over  hill  and  vale,  till  the  Eagles  waved 
in  triumph  above  the  banner  of  the  Danish  hosts  from  the 
citadels  of  the  nation.  Let  us  call  up  the  spirits  of  the 
past  to  paint  the  agonies  that  were  endured,  the  wounds 
that  were  received,  the  tortures  that  were  borne  from  the 
day  that  the  Didon  was  anchored  at  Engeddi,  till  the  fail 
of  Meron  and  the  destruction  of  the  Confederacy,  and 
this  is  the  price  of  the  land  which  individuals  have  appro 
priated. 

"Not  only  land,  but  every  other  possession,  is  equally 
the  product  of  society.  We  are  the  heirs  of  all  the  buried 
ages,  and  there  is  not  a  tool  or  a  machine  which  we  use 
that  can  be  claimed  by  any  individual.  The  vast  im 
provements  in  productive  powers  which  characterize  this 
age  are  the  result  of  thousands  of  years  of  a  slowly  ad 
vancing  civilization.  They  are  the  heritage  of  the  human 
race,  and  they  should  belong  to  society.  Did  any  partic 
ular  individual  discover  the  power  of  steam  and  elec 
tricity  ?  Are  we  indebted  to  any  particular  man  for  rail 
roads  ?  These  are  all  the  products  of  society  and  should 
be  owned  by  society.  But  they  are  owned  by  individuals 
for  the  spoliation  of  society. 

"The  railroads  of  this  country  are  capitalized  at  twelve 
billions  of  dollars,  and  they  cost,  for  construction  and 
equipment,  much  less  than  four  billions.  Whenever  a 
railway  is  contemplated,  a  company  is  formed,  the  grounds 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  183 

are  surveyed,  and  the  movement  is  advertised  in  every 
county  and  city  and  hamlet  along  the  route.  The  press 
is  subsidized  to  expatiate  on  the  advantages  of  transpor 
tation  facilities,  and  the  community  is  encouraged  to  show 
its  appreciation  of  the  benefits  to  be  realized  and  its  spirit 
of  progression,  by  a  liberal  donation  in  money,  land  sites 
for  depots  and  sidings  for  freight  cars.  The  road,  we  will 
presume,  can  be  built  and  equipped  for  twenty  thousand 
dollars  per  mile.  The  company  will  immediately  capital 
ize  the  stock  at  fifty  thousand  dollars  per  mile.  They  buy 
the  bonds  which  are  represented  by  the  real  value  of  the 
road.  They  issue  stocks  to  the  extent  of  thirty  thousand 
dollars  per  mile,  and  with  this  money  they  build  and  equip 
the  road.  Not  one  dollar  has  been  expended  by  the  com 
pany  so  far,  and,  moreover,  they  have  on  every  mile  ten 
thousand  dollars  to  their  credit.  The  road  is  in  operation 
a  few  years ;  its  value  is  again  capitalized,  perhaps  to  the 
extent  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  per  mile ;  and 
stocks  to  that  amount  are  issued,  and  the  company  is 
again  enriched  by  fifty  thousand  dollars  on  every  mile 
of  the  line.  The  Deboreh  Central  and  Lovrek  River  Road 
in  1831  was  capitalized  at  forty-five  millions  of  dollars, 
and  since  then  its  capitalization  has  reached  one  hundred 
and  forty-six  millions.  In  1854  the  total  earnings  of  this 
road  were  thirty  millions,  leaving  sixteen  millions  in 
profits.  When  the  stock  has  been  watered  to  such  an  ex 
tent  that  the  road  will  not  pay  interest  on  the  bonds,  the 
road  goes  into  the  hands  of  a  receiver,  and  the  company 
expends  the  total  income  in  making  improvements.  In 
the  meantime  the  stockholders  throw  their  papers  on  the 
market,  and  they  are  purchased  by  the  company  at  ten 
per  cent.  When  all  the  claims  have  been  secured  the  road 
begins  to  realize  profits,  and  the  company  asks  that  it  be 
sold.  No  other  company  can  afford  to  bid  against  the 
present  company,  for  this  company  is  armed  with  paper 
which  was  purchased  at  ten  per  cent,  but  which  is  accept 
ed  at  par  in  payment  of  the  road's  indebtedness.  As  soon 
as  the  road  is  secured,  it  begins  to  yield  large  dividends 
and  the  company  again  capitalizes  it  at  treble  its  value, 
and  this  process  is  continued  until  the  road  is  wrecked 
again.  This  is  the  history  of  railroads  in  Toadia.  Instead 


184  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

of  paying  ten  per  cent  dividends  the  roads  are  paying 
fifty  and  sometimes  one  hundred  per  cent  dividends  on 
the  values  represented.  This  robbery,  borne  by  the  em 
ployes  and  patrons  on  one  side,  and  innocent  purchasers 
of  watered  stock  on  the  other,  is  rapidly  creating  kings 
and  paupers.  If  the  evil  is  not  destroyed,  Toadia  will  be 
come  a  land  of  masters  and  slaves. 

"Different  estimates  have  been  given  of  the  cost  of 
building  one  mile  of  railroad.  Governor  Naasen  states 
that  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  is  the  outside  figure,  and 
all  authorities  support  this  opinion.  In  this  estimate 
every  possible  item  of  expense  is  enumerated.  General 
Rohob  gives  the  cost  at  sixteen  thousand  dollars,  and  he 
mentions  the  Jordan  Valley  Road,  which  cost  eight  thou 
sand  dollars  per  mile,  and  the  Lebanon  Mountain  Road, 
which  cost  but  seven  thousand  three  hundred  dollars  per 
mile.  The  six  Moabite  railways  were  built  and  equipped 
at  the  cost  of  ninety-six  millions  of  dollars,  and  to-day 
they  are  capitalized  at  two  hundred  and  seventy  million 
dollars.  These  roads  were  built  by  the  public.  The  gov 
ernment  gave  them,  in  land  and  other  gratuities,  four  hun 
dred  and  fifty  million  dollars,  besides  the  enormous  sums 
that  have  been  subscribed  by  States,  cities  and  counties. 
The  government  granted  to  the  Union  Moabitic  Railroad 
twelve  thousand  eight  hundred  acres  of  land  in1  the  west, 
besides  a  gift  of  sixteen  thousand  dollars  per  mile,  which 
made  the  total  subsidy  fifty-four  thousand  dollars  per 
mile.  This  sum  was  twice  the  amount  for  building  and 
equipping  the  road,  and  hence  the  road  should  belong  to 
the  government. 

"The  Union  Moabitic  Railroad,  which  cost  less  than 
forty  million  dollars,  was  capitalized  at  one  hundred  and 
ten  millions.  The  Central  Moabitic  and  Western  Moab 
itic  were  built  for  forty  million  dollars,  and  stocks  were 
issued  amounting  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  mil 
lions.  Is  it  any  surprise  that  millionaires  and  paupers 
are  begotten  under  such  a  system?  Wealth  is  concen 
trating  in  the  hands  of  the  few,  and  the  nation  is  sacrific 
ing  its  toil  and  sweat  to  fill  the  coffers  of  those  who  have 
control  of  our  transportation  and  industries. 

"The  railroad  magnates  have  corrupted  our  legisla- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  185 

tures  and  bribed  Congress.  They  spend  their  money  at 
the  polls  to  secure  the  election  of  pliant  tools.  In  the  year 
1838  more  than  one  million  was  spent  by  the  Jordan  Val 
ley  Road  to  swell  the  corruption  fund.  Mr.  Vanhorn 
boasted  that  he  spent  sixty  thousand  dollars  in  one  day 
to  influence  the  Legislature  to  pass  a  law  that  would  pro 
mote  the  interests  of  the  Jordan  Valley  Road.  There  is 
not  a  legislature  in  the  Republic  of  Toadia  that  is  inde 
pendent  of  railroad  influence.  They  are  subservient  to 
the  will  of  the  rail  king,  and  they  sell  the  blood  of  the  na 
tion  for  paltry  gold. 

"The  railroads  have  unjustly  discriminated  against 
some  persons  to  the  advantage  of  others.  It  was  proved 
in  court  that  the  Leddi  Coal  Company  and  many -other 
shippers  were  ruined  in  this  manner.  This  company  held 
a  contract  with  a  company  for  cars,  which  were  refused 
because,  by  want  of  transportation,  this  company  was 
compelled  to  sell  its  engagements  to  the  Obind  company, 
which  was  represented  by  some  of  the  road  officials,  and 
more  than  sixty  thousand  cars  were  furnished  to  the  lat 
ter.  More  than  ninety-five  per  cent  of  the  anthracite  coal 
of  Toadia  has  passed  into  the  ownership  of  railroads. 
The  railroad  syndicates  have  purchased  all  the  bitumin^ 
ous  coal  fields  between  the  Abrahamic  and  Moabitic 
waters.  Private  companies  were  necessitated  to  sell  their 
mines  to  the  railroads,  because  they  were  ruined  by  dis 
crimination.  To-day  we  have  the  gigantic  coal  trust,  and 
the  people  of  this  country  are  at  the  mercy  of  the  railroad 
kings.  Previous  to  the  formation  of  trusts,  the  coal  mines 
of  the  east  were  capable  of  producing  one  hundred  million 
tons  annually,  but  were  restricted  by  the  railroads  to  eight 
millions.  This  was  done  throughout  the  country,  and  the 
motive  was  to  create  a  demand  for  coal  by  limiting  the 
supply,  and  thus  advance  the  price. 

"In  the  year  1842  the  railroads  advanced  the  price  of 
coal  a  dollar  and  thirty-five  cents  per  ton.  Rebates  are 
allowed  to  some  companies  to  the  detriment  of  others.  In 
1848  the  national  oil  company  received  in  rebates  in  one 
State  the  sum  of  ten  millions  of  dollars.  One  railroad 
charged  this  company  but  ten  cents  per  barrel,  whereas 
it  charged  every  other  company  thirty-five  cents  per  bar- 


l86  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

rel,  twenty-five  cents  of  which  was  turned  over  to  the  na 
tional  oil  company.  The  rates  charged  the  central  com 
pany  were  from  one  hundred  to  three  hundred  per  cent 
higher.  We  have  numerous  instances  on1  record  where 
railroads  have  refused  to  stop  the  trains  in  certain  towns, 
but  built  their  depots  two  or  three  miles  beyond,  to  force 
the  people  to  move  to  that  locality  to  enhance  the  value 
of  the  land ;  and,  thus,  thriving  towns  have  been  depopu 
lated  and  ruined  to  augment  the  wealth  of  private  cor 
porations.  The  railroads  have  also  refused  to  run  through 
certain  towns,  because  these  towns  would  not  pay  the  re 
quired  subsidies.  The  rates  for  flour  and  wheat  are  the 
same  for  eighty  as  for  four  hundred  miles ;  coarse  grain 
twice  as  much  as  flour. 

"The  pass  system  is  another  system  that  should  be 
abolished.  This  would  amount  to  millions  of  dollars  an 
nually.  The  competition  for  every  passenger  between 
the  Abrahamic  and  Moabitic  waters  amounts  to  twenty 
dollars. 

"What  is  the  remedy  for  these  evils?  The  national 
ownership  of  the  railroads.  The  national  ownership  of 
the  railroads  would  save  the  people  of  Toadia,  in  curtail 
ment  of  useless  expenditures,  at  least  seven  hundred  and 
forty-five  millions  annually.  People  admit  that  these 
abuses  are  perpetrated  on  them,  but  they  claim  that  the 
government  cannot  manage  these  enterprises,  and  the 
condition  of  affairs  would  be  worse  if  the  railroads  were 
nationalized.  I  will  show  these  incredulous  individuals 
that  the  government  ownership  of  railroads  has  been  a 
grand  success  by  citing  examples  where  it  is  a  reality.  If 
low  rates  and  advanced  wages  for  the  employes  constitute 
a  criterion  of  the  ability  to  conduct  business,!  will  give  suf 
ficient  illustrations  to  demonstrate  the  utiliity  of  govern 
ment  ownership.  New  Media  built  and  operates  twenty- 
two  hundred  miles  of  railroad.  The  six  thousand  em 
ployes  have  an  eight-hour  working  day,  with  a  half  holi 
day  every  week,  and  six  holidays  in  the  year,  and  they  re 
ceive  thirty  per  cent  higher  wages  than  railroad  employes 
in  Toadia;  passenger  rates  are  one-third  of  a  cent  per 
mile,  and  the  government  realizes  two  million  five  hun 
dred  thousand  dollars,  after  paying  all  expenses. 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN"  187 

"Zabulon  owns  her  railways,  which  are  built  most 
substantially,  with  the  best  equipment  and  service,  so  that 
an  accident  is  impossible.  These  roads  cost  eighty-three 
thousand  dollars  per  mile.  In  1850  statistics  show  that 
these  roads  realized  in  profits  one  hundred  and  twenty 
millions  of  dollars.  The  average  passenger  fare  is  one 
and  one-sixth  of  a  cent  per  mile.  The  fare  by  means  of 
commutation  tickets  is  one-fourth  of  a  cent  per  mile. 
The  profits  on  the  roads  was  one  hundred  and  twenty 
million  dollars  in  1850.  The  income  from  passengers  was 
eighty-five  millions  of  dollars,  and  from  freight  thirty-five 
millions.  Hence  the  Zabulon  roads  could  have  carried 
its  four  hundred  and  seventy  millions  of  passengers  free, 
and  yet  have  had  an  income  of  thirty-five  million  dollars. 
From  1850  to  1856  the  net  profits  increased  forty-one  per 
cent,  and  the  wages  of  the  employes  was  one  hundred  and 
twenty  per  cent  higher  than  the  wages  paid  by  private 
companies.  Had  the  government  built  her  roads,  saving 
the  profits  on  construction  and  the  interest  on  bonds,  it 
could  have  reduced  freight  rates  one-half,  carried  pas 
sengers  free,  advanced  wages  one  hundred  dollars  per 
annum,  and  had  sufficient  left  to  pay  other  expenses. 

"Our  companies  compare  the  wages  paid  to  employes 
in  Zabulon  and  this  country.  This  is  not  a  fair  compari 
son.  Let  them  compare  the  wages  on  the  roads  operated 
by  the  government  and  private  companies  in  the  same 
country.  The  Zabulon  roads  employ  thirteen  men  to  the 
mile,  whereas  our  roads  have  but  four  men  to  the  mile, 
and  therefore  for  the  same  amount  of  work  higher  wages 
is  paid  by  the  former  than  by  the  latter. 

"The  roads  of  Nepthali  cost  ninety-four  thousand 
dollars  per  mile.  The  government  employs  eleven  men 
on  every  mile  of  the  road.  The  total  income,  during  the 
year  1856,  was  one  hundred  and  eight  million  dollars,  and 
the  total  expenses  was  fifty-eight  million,  leaving  a  residue 
of  fifty  millions.  Eight  million  dollars  were  paid  in  sick 
benefits  and  in  pensions  to  aged  and  disabled  employes. 
The  fare  is  one-third  of  a  cent  per  mile ;  but  for  laborers 
and  agriculturists  traveling  in  parties  of  thirty,  the  rate  is 
one-sixth  of  a  cent  per  mile.  For  many  years  the  zone 
system  has  been  in  operation.  The  capital  is  taken  as  the 


i88 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 


center,  and  the  first  zone  is  thirteen  and  a  half  miles,  and 
every  succeeding  zone  is  seven  and  a  half  miles  longer, 
with  the  exception  of  the  twelfth  and  thirteenth  zone, 
which  are  thirteen  and  a  half  miles,  and  the  fourteenth 
zone  includes  all  distances  within  the  empire.  Tickets 
for  every  zone  are  proportionately  cheaper  than  the  pre 
ceding  zone,  owing  to  the  fact  that  each  zone  is  longer 
than  the  one  preceding." 


CHAPTER  XXL 

"Lucile,  here  comes  Lord  Jesse.  Perhaps  he  wishes 
to  take  you  riding  this  morning.  Now  don't  refuse  to  go 
with  him.  You  must  get  over  the  idea  that  there  is  no 
other  man  in  the  world  like  Teddy  Einstein.  I  do  not 
gainsay  the  fact  that  Teddy  was  a  nice  boy,  but  what  was 
he  compared  to  your  aristocratic  admirer?  A  man  in 
whose  veins  runs  the  blood  of  kings !  I  am  going  down 
to  meet  him.  Just  look  at  him,  Lucile !  Is  he  not  the 
grandest  man  you  ever  gazed  upon?  Look  at  his  noble 
carriage  and  his  handsome  face !" 

"Mother,  he  may  be  all  you  say,  but  I  can  never  love 
him  as  I  loved  Teddy." 

"Love !  You  little  impertinent  girl !  you  contempti 
ble  wight !  Never  mention  love  to  me  again  !  You  have 
been  indulging  in  romance.  Will  love  put  you  in  noble 
society?  Why,  I  never  thought  of  love  when  I  married 
Mr.  Gehtheimer,  and  I  am  sure  it  was  the  last  consider 
ation  with  him." 

During  the  discus-sion  Mrs.  Gehtheimer  forgot  to  ad 
vance  to  meet  the  nobleman,  and  Lord  Jesse  having 
reached  the  residence,  was  ushered  into  the  parlor. 

"Good  morning,  Lord  Jesse,"  said  Mrs.  Gehtheimer. 

"Good  morning,  Mrs.  Gehtheimer,"  responded  he. 
"Good  morning,  Miss  Lucile.  Did  you  hear  the  news, 
ladies?" 


BEYOND  TEE  BLACK   OCEAN  l8g 

"No,"  said  Mrs.  Gehtheimer,  "what  is>  it?" 

"Gilhooley  escaped  from  jail  last  night." 

"Escaped  from  jail!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Gehtheimer. 
"How?" 

"He  succeeded  in  removing  a  stone  from  his  cell,  and, 
of  course,  after  that,  all  was  easy.  This  gave  him  an  open 
ing  into  the  jail  yard,  and  he  managed  to  climb  the  wall. 
It  is  presumed,  by  some,  that  he  was  assisted  by  his 
friends.  Perhaps  they  provided  him  with  ropes,  and  by 
throwing  them  over  the  wall  they  accomplished  his  re 
lease  from  the  yard." 

"Have  they  any  clue  to  his  place  of  hiding?" 

"Many  conjectures  are  offered.  At  first  the  officers 
searched  the  residences  along  Benjamin  Street,  where  he 
has  many  ardent  admirers,  but  their  efforts  were  futile." 

"I  hope  the  villain  will  not  escape !"  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Gehtheimer.  "He  was  to  be  hanged  next  Thursday.  Oh, 
they  may  capture  him  before  then  !  I  think  that  Mr.  Mc- 
Gillicuddy  had  something  to  do  with  it.  What  do  you 
think  ?" 

"Why,  I  have  not  the  slightest  hesitancy  in  pronounc 
ing  that  opinion.  The  authorities  should  apprehend  that 
scoundrel  immediately,,  and  if  he  does  not  confess  his 
crime,  execute  him  at  once  without  the  verdict  of  judge 
or  jury." 

"The  citizens  of  Deboreh  should  take  the  law  in  their 
own  hands,  and  mete  out  speedy  punishment  to  the 
wretch.  If  those  two  men  are  allowed  to  live,  there  will 
be  a  revolution  in  this  country  before  many  years,"  said 
Mrs.  Gehtheimer. 

"A  revolution?"  repeated  Lord  Jesse.  "There  is  a 
revolution  coming  now.  The  laborers  are  arming  them 
selves,  and  they  may  rise  up  against  the  government  at 
any  moment." 

"Why,  here  comes  Mrs.  Reisan,  mother,"  interrupted 
Lucile,  whose  chair  gave  her  a  full  view  of  the  gateway. 

Lord  Jesse  went  quickly  to  the  carriage  to  meet  Mrs. 
Reisan,  and  during  his  absence,  Mrs.  Gehtheimer  held  a 
little  colloquy  with  her  daughter. 

"Just  look  at  that  married  woman !  how  fond  she  is  of 
Lord  Jesse,  and  here  you  are  crying  over  the  loss  of  a 


190  BEYOND   THE   BLACK  OCEAN 

common  man,  who  had  not  a  drop  of  noble  blood  in  his 
veins,  when  you  could  easily  become  the  wife  of  a  lord.  I 
wish  I  were  a  young  girl.  I  would  show  you  what  I  could 
do!" 

"Indeed,  mother,  I  wish  you  were  a  girl,"  said  the  sad 
Lucile,  "for  then  I  should  not  be  annoyed  by  your  im 
portunities." 

"O,  Mrs.  Gehtheimer !  is  that  not  awful  news  that  we 
have  had  this  morning !  Is  it  possible  that  the  assassin  of 
Teddy  Einstein  will  escape  the  gallows  ?"  exclaimed  Mrs. 
Reisan,  who  had  now  reached  the  hallway. 

"Don't  be  afraid,  Mrs.  Reisan,  he  will  be  captured, 
and  the  people  in  their  frenzy  will  hang  the  two  murder 
ers  and  traitors  to  the  one  tree.  The  Toadians  are  not 
disposed  to  be  ruled  by  that  anarchistic  element  repre 
sented  by  the  editors  of  The  Flaming  Sword.'  Too  long 
have  we  been  tormented  by  the  presence  of  firebrands 
in  our  society,  and  our  endurance  being  overtaxed,  will 
rebound  with  a  force  that  will  crush  every  rebel  in  the 
land."  Mrs.  Gehtheimer  delivered  this  opinion  as  if  she 
were  an  oracle. 

"After  all,  Mrs.  Gehtheimer,  perhaps  this  is  merely  an 
act  of  Divine  Providence  to  arouse  the  people  to  assert 
their  rights,  and  correct  the  error  of  the  judicial  bench  in 
acquitting  McGillicuddy.  I  really  believe  that  both  men 
will  now  suffer  the  penalty  of  death.  What  is  your  opin 
ion,  Lord  Jesse?"  and  as  Mrs.  Reisan  asked  the  question, 
she  turned  toward  the  admiring  nobleman. 

"I  agree  with  you  and  Mrs.  Gehtheimer,"  said  he. 
"But  I  have  an  engagement  at  ten  o'clock,  and  I  must  now 
take  my  leave  of  you  ladies." 

"Wait,  my  lord,"  said  Mrs.  Reisan,  "I  am  going  down 
to  the  city,  and  I  will  take  you  in  my  carriage." 

"Thank  you  very  much,  Mrs.  Reisan,"  said  Lord 
Jesse. 

"Have  a  care  that  Mr.  Reisan  does  not  get  jealous," 
said  Mrs.  Gehtheimer,  laughingly,  but  with  malice  in  her 
heart. 

"Oh,  no  danger  of  that,"  replied  Mrs.  Reisan,  sweetly. 
"He  has  appointed  Lord  Jesse  my  cavalier  during  his  ab- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  IQI 

sence.  Did  I  tell  you  that  Mr.  Reisan  has  gone  to  Ked- 
ron  ?  He  left  last  night." 

"How  long  will  he  be  gone?"  inquired  Mrs.  Gehthei- 
mer. 

''Several  months,"  replied  her  friend.  "He  is  looking 
after  his  business  interests  in  the  district  of  Hai,  and  his 
engagements  will  detain  him  there  until  after  the  New 
Year." 

Lord  Jesse  assisted  Mrs.  Reisan  to  enter  the  car 
riage,  then  took  a  seat  by  her  side,  and  the  coachman 
drove  away,  leaving  the  old  dame  to  quarrel  with  her 
daughter  over  the  success  of  her  matronly  companion. 

"It  will  not  be  long,  Lucile,  until  your  opportunities 
are  forever  ruined.  That  woman  is  desperately  fond  of 
Lord  Jesse,  and  her  husband  is  jealous  of  him.  I  am  sat 
isfied  that  Reisan  has  left  in  disgust,  and  perhaps  will 
seek  a  divorce.  The  public  are  looking  for  a  grave  scan 
dal  from  the  intimacy  of  that  pair.  If  Reisan  had  any 
manhood  he  would  long  ago  have  prevented  this  ridicu 
lous  flirtation." 

"Dp  you  consider  it  criminal,  mother,  for  Mrs.  Reisan 
to  solicit  the  attentions  of  Lord  Jesse?"  asked  the  girl. 

"Of  course  it  is  criminal,"  replied  the  virtuous  mother. 

"In  that  case  the  conduct  of  Lord  Jesse  is  also  crim 
inal,  for  he  should  ignore  her  smiles.  I  am  surprised 
that  you  should  encourage  your  daughter  to  marry  a  man 
who  wittingly  invades  the  sanctity  of  another  man's  home, 
to  alienate  the  affection  of  his  wife  and  destroy  his  do 
mestic  bliss." 

"Lord  Jesse  is  not  cognizant  of  any  wrong,  for  he  is 
wholly  unacquainted  with  our  social  customs,"  replied 
Mrs.  Gehtheimer,  "and  if  he  knew  the  impropriety  of  his 
conduct  he  would  immediately  discourage  the  attentions 
of  Mrs.  Reisan.  Did  you  not  see  this  morning  how  he 
endeavored  to  avoid  her  society?  But  when  he  signified 
his  intention  of  leaving,  she  forthwith  proposed  to  ac 
company  him?  Could  he  eschew  her  without  displaying 
his  displeasure?  And  Lord  Jesse  is  such  a  cultivated 
gentleman  that  he  would  suffer  an  imposition  before  he 
would  wound  the  feelings  of  any  woman.  I  consider  Lord 
Jesse  the  pink  of  perfection,  and  I  would  give  my  life  to 


IQ2  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

see  Lucile  Gehtheimer  led  to  the  altar  by  that  noble  Dan- 
ite.  I  have  decided  that  you  shall  become  Lady  Jesse, 
whether  you  are  pleased  or  displeased.  You  will  not  dic 
tate  to  your  mother.  I  have  given  you  my  advice,  Miss, 
and  if  you  dare  disobey  me,  I  will  drive  you  from  my 
home,  and  let  you  wander  as  an  outcast  all  your  life.  That 
will  do  now.  You  may  go  to  your  room." 

The  next  afternoon  the  newsboys  were  crying  up  and 
down  the  street :  "Here's  the  Daily  Mail !  Isaac  Gilhooley 
shot  and  burned  to  death  in  a  barn  !"  The  people  eagerly 
bought  the  paper,  which  contained  the  following  account 
of  the  tragic  event :  "The  large  barn  and  warehouse  on  the 
Obias  farm,  one  mile  from  the  city  limits,  was  burned-  to 
the  ground  last  night  between  eleven  and  twelve  o'clock, 
and  the  remains  of  a  man,  since  identified  as  the  body  of 
Isaac  Gilhooley,  were  found  among  the  ashes.  The  pris 
oner  was  seen  last  night  going  down  Twenty^second 
Street  toward  the  railroad.  The  police  were  notified,  and 
they  followed  in  hot  pursuit.  Near  the  southern  shops 
they  saw  the  retreating  figure,  and  fired  several  times, 
though  the  fugitive  from  justice  did  not  halt,  but  ran  on 
through  the  alley  beyond  the  shops  and  escaped.  It  is 
supposed  that  the  shots  took  effect,  and  that  Gilhooley 
wandered  on  until  he  reached  the  barn,  where  he  took 
refuge.  It  is  supposed  that,  as  he  realized  the  hopeless 
ness  of  recovery  or  ultimate  escape  from  the  officers  of 
the  law,  in  his  desperation  he  burned  the  barn  and  per 
ished  in  the  flames. 

"Isaac  Gilhooley  was  a  man  who  would  shrink  from 
no  sacrifice  to  defeat  his  enemies,  and  before  he  would  as 
cend  the  scaffold  to  atone  for  the  murder  of  Teddy  Ein 
stein,  and  be  insulted  by  the  gibe  and  taunt  of  the  multi 
tude,  he  chose  to  take  his  own  life.  The  body  was  almost 
consumed  by  the  flames,  and  the  remainder  burned  to  a 
crisp,  so  that  identification  was  impossible.  More  than 
twenty  witnesses  testified  that  the  size  of  the  skeleton 
would  lead  them  to  believe  that  it  was  the  remains  of  Isaac 
Gilhooley.  Besides,  the  measurements  of  the  skull  cor 
responded  with  the  prisoner's  head.  There  was  one  tooth 
filled  with  gold  in  front,  and  one  on  the  left  side  of  the 
mouth,  and  this  is  another  clue  to  identification.  But  the 


BEYOND   THE   BLACK  OCEAN  193 

most  convincing  proof  was  furnished  in  a  silver  match- 
case,  with  the  initials  'I.  G.'  In  fact,  identification  is  so 
complete  that  his  friends  have  claimed  the  skeleton,  and  it 
will  be  shipped  to-night  over  the  Central  road  to  his  moth 
er's  home  in  Meron. 

"Thus  has  ended  a  life  of  vast  promise.  Gilhooley  was 
a  man  of  eminent  talents,  but  he  inherited  from  his  father 
a  romantic  disposition,  and  he  began  to  dream,  in  his 
early  youth,  of  establishing  an  empire  of  brotherly  love. 
The  impression  which  the  social  disparities  of  our  civiliza 
tion  made  on  his  fervid  imagination,  was  indelible,  and  he 
utilized  his  great  brain  to  eradicate  the  evils  of  the  age.  His 
first  attempt  toward  reformation  attracted  the  attention  of 
every  thinker  in  the  nation,  and  he  was  so  persistent  in  the 
justice  of  his  cause,  that  he  disregarded  the  admonition  of 
the  faculty  in  the  University  of  Meron,  and  was  -expelled 
for  his  pertinacity  in  defending  dangerous  doctrines.  He 
came  to  Deboreh,  where,  with  the  co-operation  of  his 
friend,  McGillicuddy,  he  established  'The  Flaming 
Sword,'  which  has  become,  under  their  management,  the 
most  famous  journal  in  Toadia." 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Ezechias  Rosenberger  sat  in  his  library  musing  over 
the  events  of  the  day. 

"It  was  a  great  mistake  that  the  court  did  not  pass 
sentence  of  death  on  McGillicuddy  for  complicity  in  the 
murder  of  Teddy  Einstein.  Gilhooley  is  now  in  hell, 
where  he  will  meet  his  match  in  the  devil.  It  is  the  first 
time  in  his  existence  that  he  has  been  fairly  mated,  and  I 
really  believe  that  he  will  conquer  the  very  Prince  of  Dark 
ness.  If  we  had  daily  communication  with  the  Infernal 
Regions,  no  doubt  we  should  have  been  informed,  ere  this, 
of  riots  and  carnage  as  the  result  of  Gilhooley's  naturali 
zation  in  that  kingdom.  But  McGillicuddy  is  just  as  dan 
gerous,  and  this  country  will  not  be  safe  till  he  joins  his 


y04  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

companion  in  Hades.  I  thought  the  tragedy  that  ended 
Gilhooley's  career  as  a  journalist,  would,  also,  terminate 
the  existence  of  The  Flaming  Sword,'  but  that  damnable 
sheet  not  only  lives,  but  is  growing  bolder  and  more  ag 
gressive,  and  seems  to  have  lost  all  respect  for  the  laws 
of  the  country/' 

His  musings  were  interrupted  by  a  knock  on  the  door, 
and  in  answer  to  his  "Come  in !"  a  servant  entered  with 
the  announcement  that  Judge  Tischandorf  had  called. 

"Show  him  up,"  commanded  the  master. 

"Good  morning,  Judge,"  said  Mr.  Rosenberger,  as  his 
visitor  entered.  "How  are  you  this  fine  morning?" 

"I  am  well,  thank  you,  Mr.  Rosenberger,  and  I  hope 
to  find  you  in  the  enjoyment  of  perfect  health  ?" 

"Perfect  health?"  repeated  he.  "How  could  I  be  in 
perfect  "health  when  I  see  the  clouds  of  a  mighty  storm 
gathering  on  our  western  horizon,  and  hear  the  thunder 
of  revolution  echoing  among  the  distant  mountains,  and 
the  chariot  oi  Mars  rattling  in  the  skies !" 

"Why  are  you  dreaming,  man  ?"  What  do  you  mean 
by  these  dire  portents  ?  Have  the  gods  foretold  impend 
ing  disaster?" 

"Are  you  blind,  Judge?  Do  you  not  see  that  the 
welkin  is  clothed  with  ominous  indications,  and  hear  the 
howl  of  the  war-dogs  resounding  through  the  land  ?  Be 
fore  the  cyclone  sweeps  down  from  the  clouds,  the  at 
mosphere  is  surcharged  with  deadly  bolts,  and  all  nature 
feels  the  weight  of  forces  which  seek  release  from  pres 
sure.  The  cattle  in  the  fields  are  instinctively  warned  of 
their  peril.  Their  lowing  prognosticates  the  march  of 
the  gale.  The  fowl  of  the  air  fly  to  safe  retreats,  and  every 
living  creature  displays  an  anxiety  that  something  of  a 
terrific  nature  is  brewing.  The  silence  is  oppressive.  The 
clouds  are  growing  blacker.  The  lightning  begins  to 
flash  and  blaze  in  the  heavens.  The  thunder  rolls  and  the 
day  darkens  into  the  shadows  of  evening,  and  finally  the 
fury  of  the  elements  bursts  forth  and  pours  out  its  mad 
rage  upon  the  earth,  and  desolation  marks  the  progress  of 
the  storm.  For  the  past  five  years  I  have  been  watching 
the  signs  of  the  times,  and  I  have  every  reason  to  fear  for 
the  future.  Anarchistic  literature  has  been  widely  dis- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  195 

seminated  throughout  the  country.  Socialistic  clubs  have 
been  formed.  The  laboring  classes  are  inspired  with  the 
idea  that  they  have  created  the  wealth  of  the  earth,  and 
that  they  have  been  robbed  of  the  fruit  of  their  toil  by 
capitalists  and  employers.  And  'The  Flaming  Sword' 
has  utilized  these  sentiments  to  inflame  the  passions  of 
the  multitude,  and  to  feed  the  fire  of  revolt  and  create  the 
conflagration  of  anarchy  and  revolution.  Let  me  read  to 
you  from  the  latest  number  of  that  journal  an  article  on 
national  ownership.  Of  course  you  have  seen1  its  atti 
tude  on  this  question  in  previous  issues  ?" 

"Yes,  I  have  been  following  the  course  of  that  paper, 
and  I  agree  with  you  that  it  is  a  leaven  of  iniquity  in  our 
nation,  and  it  is  rapidly  undermining  the  pillars  of  the 
Republic." 

''Here  is  the  contribution  to  which  I  refer  :  'Asher  is  a 
small  country  of  thirteen  thousand  square  miles,  and  has 
a  population  of  five  millions.  It  has  nineteen  hundred 
miles  of  railroad,  of  which  the  government  owns  and  op 
erates  ten  hundred  miles.  The  national  railways  trans 
port  five-sevenths  of  the  freight  and  two-thirds  of  the  pas 
sengers.  The  government  gives  its  employes  houses  from 
ten  to  twenty  per  cent  cheaper  than  the  same  houses  could 
be  rented  from  private  individuals,  and,  besides,  it  pro 
vides  them  with  fuel  without  compensation.  The  state 
employs  the  widows  and  orphans  of  the  operatives,  in 
making  clothing  and  blankets  for  the  families  of  the  em 
ployes.  The  government  also  has  a  sick  and  pension 
fund  for  the  employes,  and  when  the  men  in  its  service 
have  reached  sixty-five  years  of  age,  though  they  may  be 
in  the  enjoyment  of  perfect,  health,  they  are  comfortably 
supported  during  the  remainder  of  their  days. 

'  Tarsia  is  one  of  the  wealthiest  countries  on  earth 
for  its  size,  and  the  masses  of  her  people  enjoy  more  com 
forts  and  advantages  than  the  people  of  any  other  nation, 
and  this  is  due  to  the  national  ownership  of  her  most  im 
portant  enterprises.  The  state  owns  and  operates  three 
thousand  miles  of  railroad.  She  did  not,  like  Toadia,  give 
large  tracts  of  land  and  subsidies  in  money  to  private  cor 
porations  to  build  her  roads.  Although  wages  is  thirty- 
five  per  cent  higher  than  in  this  country,  and  the  roads 


ictf  BEYOND  THE   fcl.ACK  OCEAN 

cost  double  the  sum  of  our  roads,  for  they  are  built  much 
better,  and  the  rates  are  only  one-sixth  of  our  rates,  yet 
the  government  has  already  realized  profits  sufficient  to 
pay  every  dollar  of  debt  contracted  in  making  her  rail 
roads,  and  is  now  in  a  position  to  double  the  wages  of 
employes  and  reduce  rates  fifty  per  cent. 

'  'In  Zabulon,  railroads  sell  annual  tickets,  good  for 
five  miles  in  and  out  of  the  city,  for  four  dollars  and  a  half. 
If  a  person  goes  in  and  out  every  day,  the  distance  will  be 
three  thousand  six  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  and  if  he 
goes  twice  every  day,  it  is  seven  thousand  three  hundred, 
all  for  the  insignificant  sum  of  four  dollars  and  fifty  cents, 
which  is  less  than  one-sixteenth  of  a  cent  per  mile,  or  six 
teen  miles  for  one  cent. 

"  'A  four-track  road  can  be  built  for  fifteen  thousand 
dollars  per  mile  for  each  track,  but  we  will  add  to  this 
sum  five  thousand  dollars,  which  is  a  very  liberal  esti 
mate.  The  distance  from  Engeddi  to  Sohonan  is  three 
thousand  four  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  and  a  four-track 
road  would  make  a  total  of  thirteen  thousand  eight  hun 
dred  miles,  and  to  this  add  one  thousand  two  hundred 
miles  for  siding,  and  we  have  fifteen  thousand  miles.  The 
total  cost  of  constructing  this  would  be  three  hundred  mil 
lion  dollars.  The  expense  of  operating  the  road  would 
be,  for  repairs,  thirty  million ;  the  wages  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  men,  at  four  dollars  per  day,  for  eight 
hours'  work,  and  three  hundred  and  fifty  days  in  the  year, 
would  amount  to  two  hundred  and  nineteen  million  dol 
lars.  This  would  give  ten  men  for  every  mile  of  road, 
more  than  double  the  number  now  employed.  The  cost 
of  fuel  and  oil  and  other  incidentals  would  not  exceed 
ten  millions  annually.  The  total  expense,  including  re 
pairs,  etc.,  would  amount  to  two  hundred  and  fifty-nine 
millions  annually. 

"  The  charge  of  transporting  a  ton  of  freight  one  hun 
dred  miles  is  now  about  one  dollar.  If  we  reduce  this  cost 
to  twenty-five  cents  per  ton,  our  business  will  be  enor 
mously  increased.  We  could  have  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  freight  cars  on  this  line.  If  they  average  fifteen 
tons  to  the  car,  we  would  move  two  million,  two  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  tons  of  freight  ten  miles  every  day, 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  1Q7 

which  would  realize  in  profits  five  hundred  and  sixty-two 
thousand  dollars  every  day;  and  during  three  hundred 
and  fifty  days,  which  is  less  than  a  year,  our  income  from 
this  source  would  be  one  hundred  and  ninety-five  million 
dollars.  Let  us  reduce  passenger  rates  and  traveling 
would  be  enormously  increased.  If  we  charge  three  cents 
for  every  hundred  miles,  or  one  dollar  to  cross  the  con 
tinent,  at  the  very  lowest  estimate,  we  could  depend  on 
having  one  hundred  and  fifty  million  passengers,  and  this 
would  create  an  income  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  million 
dollars.  It  is  more  than  possible  that  our  list  would  ex 
ceed  three  hundred  million;  but  even  presuming  there 
would  be  only  half  that  number,  the  total  profits  from 
freight  and  passenger  rates  would  be  three  hundred  and 
forty  million.  Add  to  this  sum  fourteen  millions  from  the 
express  business,  and  we  have  a  total  income  of  three 
hundred  and  fifty-four  millions,  which  gives  us  a  balance 
of  ninety-six  millions.  In  less  than  four  years  the  profits 
would  pay  for  the  constructing  of  the  entire  line  of  fifteen 
thousand  miles,  and  we  could  afford  to  carry  the  mail  free 
of  charge. 

'  'In  Lybia  the  government  owns  two  thousand,  nine 
hundred  and  three  miles  of  road,  and  the  profits  realized 
last  year  was  five  millions,  which  was  sufficient  to  pay  all 
the  national  expenses.  With  a  population  of  one  million, 
one  hundred  and  forty  thousand,  four  hundred  and 
twenty,  the  road  carried  nine  millions  of  passengers.  This 
is  ample  evidence  that  low  rates  encourage  traveling.  We 
have  seventy  millions  of  inhabitants  in  this  country,  and  if 
our  traveling  would  increase  in  the  same  ratio  as  in  other 
countries  with  low  rates,  we  would  have  at  least  four  hun 
dred  million  passengers  annually. 

"  'Larosh,  with  a  population  of  six  hundred  thousand, 
owns  four  hundred  miles  of  railroad,  which  netted,  in 
1854,  the  sum  of  nine  hundred  thousand  dollars.  Somold 
owns  six  thousand,  nine  hundred  miles  of  road,  and  the 
net  returns  is  twenty-five  millions  annually.  All  private 
roads  escheat  to  the  government  after  a  specified  period  of 
time.  In  Simeon  private  corporations  own  nearly  all  the 
roads,  but  with  the  stipulation  that  they  become  state 
property  after  ninety-nine  years ;  and  during  this  time 


198  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

they  carry  the  mails  and  government  officials  free,  and 
also  pay  forty  per  cent  of  the  profits  to  the  state.  The 
nation  also  owns  four  hundred  miles  of  road  which  it  op 
erates. 

"  'If  we  compare  the  number  of  accidents  on  the  roads 
owned  by  the  government  with  those  in  our  own  land,  we 
find  that  the  fatalities  on  the  latter  are  six  times  as  many, 
and  injuries  nine  times  as  many,  as  on  the  former.  This 
proves,  in  the  first  place,  the  solicitude  on  the  part  of  the 
national  roads  for  the  safety  of  passengers  and  employes. 
The  services,  the  speed,  the  accommodations  on  national 
railroads,  are  superior  to  those  operated  by  private  com 
panies.  It  has  been  estimated  by  competent  authorities 
that  the  government  ownership  of  our  roads  would  save 
the  country  eight  hundred  millions  annually.  Now,  where 
does  this  money  go.  It  is  wasted  in  the  struggle  for  busi 
ness,  for  advertising,  corrupting  our  Legislatures  and  in 
bribing  the  Senate  and  Congress  of  Toadia.  And  who 
pays  for  the  waste?  The  patrons  and  employes  of  the 
road. 

"  'But  some  one  will  rebut  this  objection  by  the  state 
ment  that  the  money  wasted  in  advertising  helps  the 
printer,  and,  hence,  is  usefully  employed.  Whatever  fails 
to  produce  is  wasted.  Now  the  printing  of  books  and 
posters  and  pamphlets  for  increasing  trade  does  not  pro 
duce,  and  therefore  it  is  money  cast  into  the  sea.  If,  for 
my  amusement,  I  engage  a  minstrel  show  for  the  season, 
and  compensate  the  actors  with  money,  I  am  giving  them 
the  product  of  labor,  and  therefore  the  laborers  of  the 
nation  suffer  the  loss,  or,  in  other  words,  they  are  pay 
ing  to  keep  me  in  useless  luxuries.  If  the  printers  were 
not  employed  in  useless  occupations  they  would  become 
producers,  and  their  labor  would  enhance  the  wealth  of 
the  world.  The  national  ownership  of  railroads  is  the 
only  remedy  for  the  evil. 

"  'But  would  not  this  interfere  with  personal  liberty? 
By  no  means,  for  I  do  not  advocate  the  confiscation  of 
roads,  although  in  justice  such  a  measure  should  be 
adopted,  for  the  public,  in  excessive  rates  and  low  wages, 
have  paid  for  the  railroads  every  three  years.  A  road  that 
is  watered  to  five  times  its  real  value,  and  pays  a  dividend 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  IQ9 

of  eight  per  cent  annually,  is  paying  forty  per  cent  divi 
dends  on  the  real  value,  and  in  two  and  one-half  years  the 
income  suffices  to  build  and  equip  the  line.  Some  of  our 
roads  are  watered  more  than  this  amount ;  and  some  roads 
that  cost  but  twenty  millions  are  capitalized  at  one  hun 
dred  and  fifty  millions.  Since  these  corporations  have 
been  robbing  the  public  for  thirty  or  forty  years,  the  gov 
ernment  would  be  justified  in  seeking  indemnification  by 
having  recourse  to  radical  measures,  and  pass  an  act  for 
their  confiscation. 

"  'But  I  am  opposed  to  the  employment  of  violent 
methods,  and  I  would  advocate  the  wisdom  of  purchas 
ing  the  lines  from  the  corporations.  If  the  road  is  valued 
at  twenty  millions,  let  the  government  make  an  offer 
of  that  sum  to  the  company,  and,  in  case  of  refusal,  impose 
a  franchise  tax,  equal  to  the  tax  levied  on  other  property. 
If  the  road  asks  one  hundred  million  and  the  government 
tax  is  one  per  cent,  I  would  charge  them  the  same  on  the 
capitalized  stock,  and  this  would  create  an  annual  income 
from  the  Toadian  railways  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
millions.  Moreover,  I  would  build  lines  in  opposition 
to  the  private  lines,  reduce  freight  tonnage  to  one-fourth 
of  a  cent  per  mile,  and  double  wages,  and  the  private 
roads  would  soon  pass  out  of  existence.  After  the  roads 
have  realized  a  sum  in  profits  sufficient  to  compensate  for 
their  construction,  which  would  require  but  a  period  of 
four  years,  I  would  make  another  reduction  in  rates  of  at 
least  fifty  per  cent,  and  again  double  wages.' 

"Now,  Judge,  what  do  you  think  of  that  damnable  ar 
ticle?"  asked  Mr.  Rosenberger,  laying  down  the  paper. 

"Why,  it  is  simply  horrible !"  cried  his  listener.  "That 
fellow  should  be  shot !" 

"Shot !  Shot !"  repeated  the  angry  old  man.  "He 
should  be  burned  at  the  stake !  Oh  !  I  wish  I  had  him  in 
my  power !  I  would  put  him  where  roads  are  out  of  the 
question.  That  man  should  be  taken  out  to  the  public 
square  and  lashed  till  he  fell  beneath  the  strokes.  What 
would  you  do  if  the  government  should  take  possession  of 
the  roads?  Could  you  live  in  a  palace?  Could  you  keep 
a  retinue  of  servants  with  your  income?  Could  I  afford 
to  send  several  millions  to  my  son-in-law  every  year? 


20O  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

Could  my  daughter  afford  to  reign  the  society  queen  of 
Danish  aristocracy?  Could  she  afford  to  entertain  the 
nobility  of  New  Israel  in  her  princely  castle?  Why,  then 
we  would  have  no  millionaires.  What  could  we  do  with 
five  per  cent  dividends  on  our  investments  ?  Ah  !  menials, 
you  would  aspire  to  equality  with  your  masters !  Our 
schemes  have,  hitherto,  been  failures,  but  the  day  of  vic 
tory  is  not  far  distant.  Already  the  sun  of  royalty  is  send 
ing  his  faint  rays  across  the  ocean  waves,  and  they  are 
gilding  the  foaming  surge  with  golden  hues.  Before  an 
other  decade  the  hopes  of  the  proletaire  will  be  forever 
blasted.  Armed  soldiers  will  walk  this  land,  and  purple 
robes  will  grace  the  mansion  of  the  Chief  Executive,  and 
the  jewels  will  glisten  in  the  diadem  of  a  Toadian  mon 
arch,  whose  scepter  will  wave,  and-  mailed  hosts  will  obey, 
and  cowards  will  shrink,  and  slaves  will  crouch,  and  noble 
families  can  live  in  peace  and  joy,  and  fear  not  the  flames 
of  the  incendiary  or  the  assassin's  dagger." 

"There  is  no  doubt  but  your  visions  will  be  realized  in 
less  than  a  decade,"  commented  the  Judge.  "Already  we 
have  imperialism  under  a  fictitious  name.  Heron  will 
soon  be  subjected,  and  the  soldiers  fighting  for  the  empire 
of  the  Eagles  in  the  distant  isles  of  the  Moabitic  sea,  can 
be  recalled  to  defend  the  glory  of  the  flag  against  the 
machinations  of  domestic  foes.  We  must  make  imperial 
ism  and  trusts  the  planks  in  our  platform.  By  subsidizing 
the  press  we  can  easily  convert  the  public  to  our  views  on 
these  questions.  The  Toadian  people  are  very  susceptible 
to  bombast  about  the  glory  of  the  flag.  The  poor  devils  im 
agine  that  the  flag  is  everything,  and  it  is  easy  to  convince 
them  that  the  extension  of  our  dominions  will  redound 
to  the  wealth  of  our  land,  and  the  triumph  of  our  nation. 
It  is  hard  to  deceive  a  phlegmatic  race  with  vain  gascon 
ade,  but  men  of  quick  impulses  can  be  cajoled  without  any 
difficulty. 

"Imperialism  will  go  down  all  right.  In  fact,  the  press 
has  already  accomplished  the  victory,  and  if  the  election 
were  to  occur  to-morrow,  we  would  carry  the  country. 
Now  the  trusts  can  drop  in  their  prices  when  the  cam 
paign  is  on,  and  we  can  proudly  refer  to  the  benefits  of 
vast  comporations  in  the  facilities  of  production,  and  the 


BEYOND  THE   BLACK  OCEAN  2OI 

cheapness  of  commodities.  As  a  reason  for  the  advanced 
prices  of  the  last  year  or  two,  we  can  allege  the  expenses 
incurred  by  our  new  departure,  as  all  young  enterprises 
labor  under  difficulties  in  iheir  infancy.  We  can  promise 
to  make  a  reduction  every  month  as  a  result  of  our  in 
creased  efficiencies  in  production  and  increased  facilities 
in  trade,  and,  as  a  warranty  of  this  pledge,  we  will  actually 
fall  in  our  prices  up  to  the  day  of  election.  Then  we  will 
roll  in  on  the  biggest  majority  we  have  ever  had.  As  soon 
as  our  party  is  in  power,  of  course,  we  will  make  up  for 
losses  and  fleece  the  suckers  for  the  next  four  years." 

"What  do  you  think  of  the  forces  of  the  Social  Dem 
ocratic  party?" 

'They  have  clubs  all  over  the  country,  but  they  will 
not  be  known  when  the  election  comes." 

"You  think  that  Social  Democracy  is  not  a  factor  to 
be  considered  in  the  coming  campaign?" 

"They  will  not  poll  half  a  million  votes,  and  that  will 
be  an  advantage  to  us,  for  they  will  draw  their  resources 
from  the  Liberal  Party." 

"What  about  the  Socialist  Labor  Party  ?" 

"Well,  the  Socialist  Labor  party  will  not  affiliate  with 
Social  Democracy,  and  their  power  will  be  lost.  These 
reform  parties  could  possibly  give  us  a  little  trouble,  if 
they  were  all  united ;  but  where  there  is  no  union1  there  is 
no  strength,  and  the  more  the  parties  are  multiplied  the 
better  for  our  cause.  By  the  way,  Mr.  Rosenberger," 
the  Judge  broke  off,  "I  see  that  Guisman  has  departed 
for  Dan." 

"Is  that  so?    When?" 

"He  sailed  last  Monday  on  the  Bethlehem." 

"The  scoundrel !    He  has  not  completed  his  work." 

"Did  you  pay  him  the  required  sum  ?"    . 

"By  no  means  !  He  was  here  about  ten  days  ago,  and 
pleaded  with  me  for  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  but  I 
told  him  that  he  had  not  yet  complied  with  the  provisions 
of  the  contract,  and  I  would  not  recognize  his  claims  until 
he  would." 

"What  did  he  say?" 

"He  stated  that  the  end  was  not  far  off,  and  what  he 
had  done  would  lead  to  a  crisis,  as  the  public  would  soon 


202  BEYOND  THE  BLRCK  OCEAN 

take  the  matter  in  their  own  hands.  I  think  that  Guisman 
is  intimidated,  and  that  is  the  reason  for  his  sudden  de 
parture.  Why,  you  are  not  going  so  early,  Judge?" 

"Yes,  I  have  an  engagement  this  forenoon,  and  I  must 
leave  for  the  present,  but  I  will  call  to-morrow  evening 
and  discuss  the  question  thoroughly." 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

On  the  I2th  day  of  June,  1859,  a  stranger  alighted 
from  the  Lidda  and  Deboreh  train  as  it  reached  the  Un 
ion  station  in  Meron.  His  face  was  furrowed  with  wrin 
kles,  and  his  brow  was  marked  with  sorrow.  His  hair 
was  white,  and  his  form  wras  slightly  bent,  though  there 
was  a  dignity  in  his  bearing  and  a  stateliness  in  his  move 
ments  that  attracted  the  gaze  of  those  who  usually  appear 
in  public  places  for  the  sake  of  passing  the  tedious  hours. 
The  old  man  accosted  a  public  officer,  and  inquired  about 
Mrs.  Gilhooley.  In  response  to  his  question,  the  officer 
replied : 

flMrs.  Gilhooley  lives  on  High  Street,  between  Twen 
ty-second  and  Twenty-third  Streets.  If  you  take  the  Edne 
Grove  car,  you  can  pass  by  the  house.  You  mean  Isaac 
Gilhooley's  mother,  don't  you?" 

At  mention  of  the  name  the  old  man  started. 

"Isaac  Gilhooley,"  he  repeated.  "Who  is  Isaac  Gil 
hooley?" 

"I  presume  that  you  are  a  stranger  in  the  country,  and 
perhaps  you  are  not  acquainted  with  the  history  of  the 
noble  reformer.  He  was  a  journalist  of  national  reputa 
tion,  and  his  enemies  accused  him  of  murder  and  accom 
plished  his  ruin.  The  unborn  babe  was  not  more  inno 
cent  than  Isaac  Gilhooley  of  the  crime  for  which  he  was 
sentenced,  but  circumstances  favored  the  intrigues  of 
those  who  feared  his  pen,  and  the  law  judged  him  guilty 
of  the  deed." 

While  the  officer  was  recounting  the  history  of  Isaac 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  20J 

Gilhooley  from  his  boyhood  to  his  incarceration,  the  old 
man  shook  with  emotion  and  tears  came  to  his  eyes. 

"What  was  the  name  of  Isaac  Gilhooley's  father?" 
then  queried  the  stranger. 

"He  was  Moses  Gilhooley,  a  Confederate  officer  in  the 
Rebellion." 

"My  God!  is  it  possible!  And  the  mother  of  Isaac 
Gilhooley — is  she  yet  living  ?" 

"Yes,  she  is  the  lady  to  whom  I  referred  you  when 
you  mentioned  her  name." 

The  stranger  then  learned  from  his  informant  that  the 
mother  of  Moses  Gilhooley,  for  whom,  he  was  looking, 
had  died  several  years  previously. 

"How  long  has  the  younger  Mrs.  Gilhooley  been  liv 
ing  here?"  asked  the  stranger. 

"Ever  since  her  return  from  New  Israel,  nearly  a 
quarter  of  a  century  ago." 

"Do  you  know  the  antecedents  of  Mrs.  Gilhooley?" 
inquired  the  old  man. 

"She  was  the  daughter  of  a  banker  in  Engeddi,  and 
her  maiden  name  was  Louise  Rosenthal." 

"Ah !  Louise  still  lives !  But  continue,  I  have  inter 
rupted  you." 

"She  was  married  to  Moses  Gilhooley  in  Rubek,  and 
on  their  homeward  voyage  they  were  shipwrecked.  She 
was  rescued  from  the  waves,  but  her  husband  lost  his  life, 
and  in  honor  of  his  memory  she  has  never  laid  aside  her 
mourning  weeds." 

"Ah  !  faithful  Louise  !"  cried  the  stranger.  "I  am  very 
thankful  to  you  for  the  information,  and  now  I  will  take 
the  car  for  Mrs.  Gilhooley's  residence." 

"Here  is  one  coming  now — the  blue  car — it  takes  you 
by  the  door."  The  old  man  bade  the  policeman  good-day 
and  departed.  In  the  meantime  a  group  of  men,  attracted 
by  the  venerable  and  weird  appearance,  had  gathered 
around  to  listen  to  the  conversation 

"Who  in  the  world  is  he?"  said  a  young  man  to  the 
officer. 

"He  seems  to  be  an  ancient  friend  of  the  Rosenthal 
family.  Perhaps  it  is  Rosenthal  himself.  No,  that  could 


204  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

not  be,  for  he  did  not  know  of  Isaac  Gilhooley's  career 
and  death.  He  is  a  strange  character." 

Many  conjectures  were  offered,  all  at  variance,  and 
none  gave  a  clue  to  the  solution  of  the  mystery.  The 
stranger  reached  the  home  of  Mrs.  Gilhooley  and  rang 
the  bell.  A  maid  responded  to  the  summons,  and  the 
old  man  asked  if  he  could  see  Mrs.  Louise  Gilhooley.  "I 
will  see,"  said  the  maid.  "Come  in  and  take  a  seat."  Go 
ing  to  the  sitting-room  the  girl  informed  her  mistress  that 
an  aged  gentleman  wished  to  see  her,  and  in  a  few  mo" 
ments  she  was  in  the  parlor.  The  stranger  gazed  at  her, 
the  tears  streaming  from  his  eyes.  He  was  overcome 
with  emotion,  and  in  trembling  voice  he  asked  if  she  were 
Mrs.  Louise  Gilhooley. 

"Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  matron. 

"Are  you  the  widow  of  Moses  Gilhooley?" 

"I  am." 

"And  the  daughter  of  Jeremiah  Rosenthal?" 

"Yes." 

"And  you  were  married  in  Rubek  in  1833?" 

"I  was." 

"May  I  ask  you  about  the  death  of  your  husband?" 

"Yes,  sir,"  and  the  lady  related  the  story  of  the  ship 
wreck.  When  she  ceased  speaking  the  strange  man  cried : 

"Your  husband  is  not  dead,  but  liveth  !  Louise,  don't 
you  know  me?  I  am  Moses  Gilhooley,  the  husband 
whose  death  you  have  so  long  mourned." 

The  lady  almost  fainted  when  she  recognized  her  long- 
lost  husband,  and  Moses  gathered  her  in  his  arms,  as  he 
had  done  in  the  early  days  of  life.  They  wept,  and  then 
smiles  of  joy  would  break  through  their  tears.  When  the 
first  emotion  subsided,  Moses  Gilhooley  related  to  his 
wife  the  history  of  the  years  that  had  passed  away  from 
the  wrecking  of  the  Damascus  till  their  meeting  then  in 
Meron. 

The  tidings  of  Gilhooley's  return  to  his  native  land 
flew  across  the  continent  on  the  wings  of  the  wires,  and 
every  daily  paper  in  Toadia  announced  the  event  the  next 
morning.  The  Meron  Standard  contained  a  vivid  ac 
count  of  the  arrival,  prefaced  with  glaring  headlines. 
"Mystery  within  mystery.  The  son  dies  and  the  father 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  20" 

comes  back  from  the  tomb.  Moses  Gilhooley,  who  was 
mourned  as  one  of  the  victims  of  the  ill-fated  Damascus, 
returned  to  Meron  yesterday  after  an  absence  of  nearly 
twenty-eight  years.  The  appearance  of  a  stranger,  deep 
ly  interested  in  the  Gilhooley  family,  excited  the  curiosity 
of  the  multitude,  and  last  night  it  was  whispered  about 
that  Moses  Gilhooley  was  in  Meron.  The  fall  of  the  stars 
could  not  have  created  a  greater  sensation.  The  reporter 
of  the  Standard  obtained  an  interview  with  the  aged  hero 
at  his  home  on  High  Street.  The  veteran  narrated  the 
story  of  his  life  between  sobs  and  sighs,  and  at  times  his 
emotion  would  become  so  strong  that  he  wept  bitterly. 
His  loving  wife  would  throw  her  arms  around  his  neck 
and  kiss  his  wrinkled  brow. 

"  'In  making  an  effort  to  save  my  wife  and  babe  the 
night  that  the  Damascus  was  wrecked/  he  said,  'I  ex 
hausted  my  strength  and  fell  back  into  the  water,  and  was 
lost  for  several  minutes  in  the  waves.  After  a  severe 
struggle  I  emerged  and  made  my  way  to  a  boat,  and  when 
my  presence  was  noticed  by  the  passengers  they  lent  me 
their  assistance  and  rescued  me  from  death.  When  I  dis 
covered  that  my  wife  was  in  another  boat  I  loudly  called 
her  name,  but  amidst  the  roar  of  the  deep,  and  the  shrieks 
of  death,  my  voice  was  lost,  and,  as  we  had  no  oars,  our 
little  boat  was  at  the  mercy  of  the  billows.  Before  the 
blush  of  morn  streaked  the  eastern  sky,  and  the  light  of 
day,  playing  on  the  ripples  of  the  sea  revealed  our  posi 
tion  we  had  drifted  far  away,  and  the  boats  were  so  widely 
scattered  that  I  could  not  tell  wh^re  to  look  for  my  dar 
lings.  Had  I  known  where  to  find  them  I  would  have 
hazarded  my  life  in  the  deep.  But  the  effort  would  have 
been  useless,  and  my  fellow-passengers  dissuaded  me 
from  the  attempt,  consoling  me  with  the  thought  that, 
within  the  next  twenty-four  hours  some  ship  would  ap 
pear  and  rescue  us  all  from  the  perilous  position. 

"  'The  night  came  on,  and  no  hope  cheered  our  des 
olate  hearts.  The  morning  dawn  revealed  one  wide  ex 
panse  of  wave  bounded  by  sky,  and  not  a  sail  broke  the 
monotony  of  the  scene.  The  next  day  announced  no  joy 
ful  tidings,  and  one  of  our  passengers,  an  aged  lady,  per 
ished  from  cold  and  hunger,  and  within  twenty-four  hours 


2c6  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

her  daughter  followed  her  to  the  watery  grave.  In  less 
than  three  days  I  was  the  only  living  passenger  in  the 
boat,  and  I  felt  that  my  hour  was  near  at  hand.  On  the 
fifth  day  I  beheld  a  vessel  on  the  distant  horizon,  and  my 
heart  leaped  with  joy.  A  thousand  thoughts  flitted  across 
my  troubled  brain,  like  shadows  and  sunshine  floating 
over  the  billows.  Should  I  be  rescued  and  find  my  home 
desolate,  bereft  of  wife  and  child !  The  thought  was  ex 
cruciating.  Nevermore  to  see  their  dimpled  faces 
wreathed  in  smiles  of  joy !  nevermore  to  hear  those  voices 
more  enchanting  than  the  music  of  the  gods !  nevermore 
to  feel  those  tender  arms  entwined  around  my  neck,  and 
those  tender  forms  pressed  to  my  bosom. 

'  'The  ship  approached  me,  and  I  hailed  it.  I  noticed 
that  the  men  were  arrayed  in  strange  costumes,  a  uniform 
that  I  had  never  seen  in  any  civilized  nation.  I  was  drawn 
from  the  deep,  and,  after  recovering  from  the  fatigues 
and  privations  of  the  struggle,  endured  for  nearly  a  week, 
I  was  clothed  in  the  garb  of  the  crew,  and  put  to  work. 
They  spoke  a  strange  language,  but  I  could  glean  from 
signs  which  they  made  and  other  indications  that  they 
were  people  of  the  Orient.  In  two  weeks'  time  we  landed, 
and  then  I  discovered  that  I  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Jesu- 
bites,  a  nation  of  pirates,  who  occasionally  enter  our 
waters.  I  was  put  on  the  block  and  sold  to  merchants 
from  Soba,  and  they  took  me  to  their  native  country, 
where  I  was  condemned  to  work  as  a  slave  in  the  castle  of 
a  Soban  prince. 

"  'After  three  months  I  made  my  escape,  and  wan 
dered  through  the  mountains,  often  inhabiting  caves  and 
dwelling  amidst  rocks,  not  infrequently  sleeping  on  the 
ground,  protected  by  leaves  and  brush.  The  national 
guards  were  on  my  trail,  but  I  escaped  their  vigilance, 
though  I  could  not  manage  to  get  out  of  the  country. 
For  two  years  I  eluded  every  effort  made  to  recapture  me. 
Then  the  pursuit  was  abandoned,  and  one  dark,  stormy 
night  I  came  forth  from  my  silent  retreat  and  passed  be 
yond  the  borders  of  Soba  into  the  land  of  the  Lannites. 
Here  I  was  arrested  as*  a  spy  and  incarcerated,  and  I  lan 
guished  in  a  dungeon  for  four  years.  During  this  time  I 
relieved  my  mind  of  gathering  thoughts  by  writing  a  book, 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEA^  ^07 

which  I  afterwards  published  at  a  terrible  cost.  Finding  no 
specific  charges  against  me,  the  Lannites  opened  the  door 
of  my  prison,  and  I  was  again  a  free  man.  I  had  no  money, 
so  I  was  compelled  to  work  in  order  to  acquire  sufficient 
funds  to  bring  me  back  to  my  native  land.  A  storekeeper 
gave  me  employment  for  two  months,  and  I  received  in 
payment  forty  skees,  a  sum  equal  to  ten  dollars  in  Toadian 
money. 

"  'I  determined  to  travel  as  far  as  this  money  would 
bring  me,  and  I  took  the  ship  for  Rohab.  When  I  reached 
that  country  I  discovered  that  it  was  in  the  throes  of  war 
with  the  Cushites,  and  I  was  drafted  and  compelled  to 
fight  the  battles  of  a  foreign  nation  for  five  years.  In  the 
meantime  I  drew  my  wages,  which  was  about  two  hun 
dred  dollars  in  our  coin,  and  then  I  took  the  next  ship 
for  Dan,  and  reached  that  country  in  twenty  days.  It  was 
my  determination  to  leave  at  the  earliest  date  for  Toadia, 
and  I  was  going  to  the  office  of  the  Ninivite  line,  when  I 
met  my  old  friend,  Mr.  Sanger,  from  Meron,  and,  of 
course,  I  greeted  him  joyfully.  I  told  him  that  I  was 
going  home,  and  asked  about  my  wife  and  babe,  and  he 
told  me  that  my  child  had  perished  in  the  waters,  and  my 
wife  had  returned  to  her  father's  home,  and  soon  after 
wards  was  married  to  my  old  enemy,  Luke  Tischendorf, 
of  Engeddi. 

"'  'I  had  known  Tischendorf  as  a  schoolboy,  when  his 
father  lived  in  the  South,  and  many  a  time  I  thrashed  him 
for  his  mean,  contemptible  disposition.  Again  I  exposed 
his  villainous  schemes  to  pass  the  appropriation  bill  for 
the  construction  of  the  Lidda  and  Central  Railroad,  of 
which  he  was  a  stockholder,  and  it  was  solely  through  the 
efforts  of  the  money  kings  of  the  South  that  he  was  saved 
from  the  penitentiary.  To  think  that  my  darling  Louise 
had  forgotten  me  so  soon  and  married  that  varlet  was 
more  than  I  could  endure.  I  went  to  my  hotel  and  wept 
bitterly,  and  I  determined  never  again  to  gaze  on  the  land 
of  my  nativity.  I  learned  to  hate  my  mother  country.  I 
cursed  her  hills  and  vales,  her  lakes  and  streams,  and  it 
would  have  been  my  delight  if  some  powerful  nation  had 
invaded  her  shores,  and  destroyed  her  liberties.  I  feared 
to  meet  a  person  whom  I  had  ever  known,  and  in  my  mad 


208  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

rage  I  decided  to  leave  Dan  immediately,  and  visit  New 
Israel,  where  I  could  hide  my  head  among  strangers. 

"  'I  went  to  Simeon  and  the  visions  of  my  early  days  in 
Rubek  came  back  to  haunt  me  like  a  spectre  from  the 
tomb.  I  fled  to  the  capital  of  Zabulon,  and  one  day,  as 
I  was  walking  down  the  street,  I  saw  the  Eagles  floating 
from  the  Toadian  Consulate,  and  I  fled  as  if  the  very  folds 
contained  the  germs  of  death,  and  I  bent  my  footsteps 
toward  the  land  of  Kurush.  There,  I  said,  I  shall  never 
see  the  face  of  a  friend,  and  the  world  will  never  know  the 
fate  of  Moses  Gilhooley.  After  several  months  I  ob 
tained  a  position  on  the  Cosmopolitan  Press  at  a  salary  of 
one  hundred  dollars  a  month,  and  with  this-  income  I  was 
enabled  to  live  in  ease  and  comfort. 

"  'In  1847  I  published  the  book  which  I  had  written 
during  my  incarceration  in  Lanna,  and  I  was  arraigned 
before  the  national  Sanhedrin  for  heresy  and  treason,  and 
sent  to  the  penal  colony  of  Rebia  for  life.  Here  I  en 
dured  all  the  tortures  of  the  damned.  For  more  than  ten 
years  I  was  condemned  to  the  chain  gang,  deprived  of 
every  enjoyment,  never  allowed  to  whisper  to  a  fellow- 
convict.  The  dark  thoughts  rolled  through "  my  brain 
during  the  hours  of  working,  and  at  night  I  was  tor 
mented  with  visions  more  appalling  than  the  tenth  circle 
of  Donte's  Inferno  or  Milton's  dreams  of  hell.  The  days 
of  my  boyhood  returned  to  haunt  me  with  scenes  of  plea 
sure  that  had  forever  vanished,  with  sweet  memories  of 
home,  where  I  was  a  child  of  fond  parents,  the  love  of  my 
mother's  heart,  the  glory  of  my  father's  ambition.  I  re 
called  my  early  days  at  the  village  school,  and  the  com 
panions  of  my  youth.  O,  whither  have  faded  those  days 
so  full  of  bright  hopes  and  golden  promises !  Have  the 
parents  of  my  youth  passed  beyond  the  mystic  vale  ?  Have 
they  crossed  the  borders  of  life  and  the  shadows  of  the 
tomb  ?  Do  they  look  down  from  their  starry  thrones  and 
behold  me  in  this  convict  garb? 

"  'Again  I  would  wander  through  the  lovely  parks  of 
fair  Rubek,  with  beautiful  Louise  by  my  side.  I  would 
fold  my  darling  wife  and  babe  in  my  arms,  and  gaze  on 
their  smiling  faces,  and  kiss  their  rosy  lips,  and  O,  how 
happy  were  those  fleeting  hours  !  My  wife  became  more 


BEYOND   THE   BLACKOCEAN  209 

beautiful  with  the  light  of  every  morn,  and  my  babe  more 
winsome  in  the  vision  of  every  dream.  Then,  when  the 
slumbers  were  broken,  and  I  beheld  the  iron  bars  of  the 
prison,  the  memory  of  the  dream  tortured  me  with  its 
evanescent  shadows.  Many  a  time  my  wails  sounded 
through  my  dungeon  cell  and  broke  the  sombre  silence  of 
the  night,  and  the  solitude  of  the  prison.  Many  a  time 
prayer  asking  relief  escaped  from  my  laden  heart  and 
burning  lips,  and  went  forth  to  the  halls  of  eternal  justice 
and  the  throne  of  mercy.  What  had  I  done  to  merit  this 
slow  death,  from  which  the  damned  would  shrink?  O, 
God !  I  cried,  Who  reignest  beyond  the  deep  blue  immen 
sity,  amidst  flames  of  purple  light !  O  God,  Whose  word 
spoken  before  the  dawn  of  time  rolled  forth  into  glittering 
orbs  and  dazzling  suns,  Whose  thoughts  were  material 
ized  in  floating  worlds  and  flaming  globes,  I  raise  my 
voice  to  Thy  radiant  throne.  Thou  didst  send  Thy  angel 
from  the  celestial  court  to  carry  Thy  prophet  to  the  walls 
of  Babylon ;  Thou  didst  command  the  ravens  to  feed  Elias 
at  the  torrent  of  Carith ;  Thou  didst  send  a  spirit  from  the 
stars  to  Agar,  who  sat  by  the  fountain  in  the  wilderness ; 
Thou  didst  send  an  embassy  from  Thy  radiant  throne  to 
liberate  the  just  men  from  the  fire  that  consumed  the 
guilty  cities  of  the  plains  !  O  God !  Thou  didst  clothe  Thy 
messenger  in  a  flaming  pillar  to  direct  the  footsteps  o'f 
Israel  across  the  sands  of  the  desert  from  the  valley  of 
the  Nile  to  the  Valley  of  the  Jordan,;  Thou  didst  feed  the 
wandering  sons  of  Abraham  with  manna  from  the  clouds ; 
Thou  didst  transform  a  solid  rock  into  a  limpid  fountain 
to  slake  the  thirst  of  the  weary  travelers  ;  Thou  didst  arm 
the  trumpet  of  Josue  with  magic  sounds  that  destroyed 
the  battlements  of  a  fortified  city;  Thou  didst  confound 
Balaam  in  his  mission  of  vengeance,  and  changed  his 
curses  into  blessings ;  Thou  didst  send  martial  angels  to 
lead  Thy  mailed  hosts  to  glorious  triumphs  and  fill  the 
camp  of  the  Assyrians  with  the  victims  of  death,  and 
haunted  the  invading  legions  with  the  whisperings  of  the 
tomb  !  O,  God  of  omnipotence !  Thou  holdest  all  things 
in  the  hollow  of  Thy  hand;  Thy  presence  invades  all 
places;  Thou  art  higher  than  heaven,  deeper  than  hell, 
broader  than  the  earth  and  deeper  than  the  sea;  Thy 


210  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

thoughts  are  from  generation  to  generation,  and  to  Thee  a 
thousand  years  are  as  yesterday!  O  God,  Thou  art  the 
Ruler  of  empires,  and  Thy  breath  has  swept  away  mighty 
thrones,  and  hurled  the  diadem  from  the  proudest  monr- 
arch,  and  broken  the  regal  scepters  into  pieces.  O  God, 
help  Thou  me  in  the  days  of  my  tribulation,  preserve  me 
from  the  hand  of  the  despot,  as  Thou  didst  save  the  life  of 
David  from  the  spear  of  Saul,  and  shielded  the  youthful 
hero  in  the  perils  of  the  battlefield.  O  God,  arm  the  sera 
phim  with  power  to  smite  my  enemies,  as  Thou  didst  send 
the  angel  of  desolation  on  the  camp  of  the  haughty  con 
queror,  who,  in  his  pride,  had  boasted  that  he  would 
humble  the  royal  city.  O  God,  break  the  manacles  that 
bind  me  as  Thou  didst  open  the  prison  door  for  the  Prince 
of  the  Apostles ;  give  me  strength  to  crush  the  despots 
who  goad  me  to  vengeance,  as  Thou  didst  enable  Sam 
son  to  pull  down  the  pillars  of  the  temple.  O  God,  hear 
my  prayer  !  Hear  my  cry !  hear  my  agonies,  and  turn  not 
a  deaf  ear  to  my  supplication,  but  send  a  legion  of  angels 
to  assist  me  in  my  struggle  for  liberty ! 

''  'But  my  prayers  were  unavailing,  and  at  times  I 
doubted  the  existence  of  Divine  Providence.  I  could  not 
believe  that  a  merciful  God  would  tolerate  His  servants 
to  be  afflicted  with  tortures,  when  it  was  in  His  power 
to  relieve  them.  I  could  not  think  that  a  just  God  would 
permit  the  reign  of  injustice.  Then  again  I  wandered  in 
fancy's  flight  to  the  village  of  Bethlehem,  where  the  Sec 
ond  Person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity  was  born  in  human 
flesh,  and  while  the  voice  of  angels  sang  Glory  be  to  God 
on  the  highest,  and  peace  on  earth  to  men  of  good  will, 
the  sorrows  of  all  the  ages  grouped  around  the  infant 
form  of  Jesus  Christ.  I  followed  the  career  of  the  Naz- 
arene  from  the  cradle  to  the  tomb.  I  beheld  the  flight  into 
Egypt,  where  the  babe  was  borne  to  save  His  young  life 
from  the  sword  of  Herod.  I  dwelt  with  Him  in  the  pov 
erty  and  obscurity  of  His  village  home  in  Galilee.  I  saw 
Him  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  where  the  pale  moon 
light  poured  through  the  olive  trees,  and  beamed  on  His 
wan  and  haggard  features.  I  heard  the  footsteps  of  the 
soldiers  coming  to  arrest  Him,  and  saw  the  traitor  leading 
the  wicked  band.  I  followed  Him  to  Pilate's  hall,  where 


LEYOND  THE  BLACK.  OCEAN  211 

he  was  scourged  and  crowned  with  thorns,  and  presented 
as  a  spectacle  to  men  and  angels  in  the  words  of  the  Ro 
man  Governor,  "Behold  the  Man !"  I  saw  that  sacred 
form,  burdened  with  the  cross,  wander  forth  to  the 
place  of  execution  amid  the  jeers  and  taunts  of  the  rabble. 
I  walked  along  the  road  to  Calvary  in  the  footprints  of 
my  Redeemer,  and  saw  the  murderers  stretch  Him  on  the 
instrument  of  torture,  and  heard  the  strokes  of  the  ham 
mer  that  drove  the  nails  through  His  hands  and  feet.  I 
heard  His  last  words  of  love,  when  the  angel  of  death  cast 
the  shadow  of  his  wing  across  the  bloodstained  height.  I 
heard  His  promise  to  the  penitent  thief.  I  heard  His  cry 
to  the  throne  of  mercy,  "Father,  forgive  them,  for  they 
know  not  what  they  do !"  When  I  reflected  on  that 
dreadful  scene,  a  God  weltering  in  the  blood  of  a  mortal, 
a  God  pleading  to  His  Father  to  spare  His  enemies,  a  God 
crying  to  the  throne  of  Omnipotence  in  behalf  of  His  exe 
cutioners,  I  said  that  God's  ways  are  mysteries,  and  I  re 
signed  myself  to  cruel  fate,  and  prayed  for  the  salvation 
of  my  persecutors. 

"  'After  ten  years  of  confinement  I  was  released  from 
the  chain  gang  and  permitted  to  join  the  trusted  men,  who 
enjoyed  many  privileges  denied  to  the  others.  One  day 
I  stole  into  the  woods  and  escaped  the  vigilance  of  the 
guards ;  and,  by  traveling  through  the  deep  shadows  of 
the  night,  I  reached  the  seashore  within  six  months.  I 
confided  in  one  of  the  sailors,  who  gave  me  a  uniform,  and 
I  discarded  the  convict's  robe  and  went  on  the  ship,  as 
one  of  the  employes,  and  thus  I  made  my  way  to  Lybia, 
and  from  there  I  went  in  another  ship  to  Asher.  There 
I  sought  employment  and  in  one  year  I  had  saved  about 
four  hundred  dollars. 

"  Time  had  changed  my  ideas,  and  I  perceived  that  my 
career  had  been  unfortunate  through  the  false  step  I  had 
taken,  when  I  listened  to  the  story  of  Sanger.  My  heart 
was  softened  by  sorrow,  and  as  I  had  lost  my  former  ha 
tred  for  my  native  land,  I  decided  to  return  again  to  the 
scenes  of  my  boyhood.  I  left  Asher  last  Wednesday  and 
reached  Deboreh  on  Monday,  and  immediately  came  to 
Meron.  I  did  not  expect  to  see  my  mother  when  I  in 
quired  for  her.  but  I  was  astonished  when  I  learned  that 


212  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

my  wife  still  lived,  and  mourned  my  loss,  and  that  my 
babe  had  become  a  famous  man  and  died  for  the  cause  of 
human  liberty.' 

"Here  the  old  man  wept  again.  Mr.  Gilhooley  was 
surprised  and  amazed  when  informed  that  Mr.  Sanger 
had  deserted  his  wife  in  Meron  and  had  married  a  Danish 
lady.  This  is  the  reason  he  uttered  that  infamous  false 
hood  against  the  fidelity  of  my  beautiful  Louise,'  said  Mr. 
Gilhooley.  'I  presume  that  he  thought  I  was  acquainted 
with  the  fact  of  his  second  marriage,  and  did  not  want 
me  to  return  and  inform  the  people  of  this  city.'  That 
might  have  been  one  motive,'  said  the  reporter,  'but  he 
had  another,  and  perhaps  a  stronger  one.  Before  leaving 
this  country  he  committed  several  forgeries,  aggregating 
nearly  a  million  dollars.  He  wanted  to  conceal  himself 
from  the  officers  of  the  law,  and  he  thought  that  your  re 
turning  to  Toadia  might  give  a  clue  to  his  location.  His 
disappearance  from  home  was  mysterious,  and  it  was 
generally  presumed  that  he  had  been  assassinated.  When 
the  forgeries  were  discovered  no  one  ever  dreamed  of 
looking  for  him  byond  the  Abrahamic  waters,  for  it  was 
supposed  that  he  had  taken  refuge  in  the  far  East.' 

'"Was  he  ever  captured?'  asked  Gilhooley.  'Yes, 
seven  years  afterwards  he  was  apprehended  in  Zabulon 
and  taken  back  to  this  country,  and  sentenced  to  the 
penitentiary  for  twenty-one  years.'  'Well/  said  the  old 
man,  'I  cannot  pity  him,  for  his  calumny  separated  me 
from  my  wife  for  an  eternity.'  Mr.  Gilhooley  promised 
to  furnish  the  Standard  with  a  synopsis  of  his  book  at 
some  future  time,  and  the  public  may  look  for  a  treat.  The 
title  of  the  work  is,  'Dawn  and  Darkness.' '; 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

"The  Flaming  Sword"  contained  the  following  com 
munication  in  its  issue  of  July  Hth,  1860: 

"Last  week  the  Kidron  Chronicle  contained  a  contri- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACR   OCEAN  213 

bution  from  the  pen  of  Senator  Wilhelm,  who  descanted 
on  the  futility  of  Socialism,  and,  as  an  illustration,  he 
pointed  to  the  postoffice.  'That/  said  the  writer,  'is  an 
example  of  the  inability  of  the  government  to  manage  a 
great  concern  with  economy.  The  postal  system  does  not 
pay.'  But  the  Senator  did  not  advance  any  reason  to 
maintain  his  position  against  the  beneficence  of  Socialism. 
Does  the  public  school  pay?  And  why  not?  Because  it 
is  a  public  institution,  which  gives  free  instruction  to  the 
youth  of  the  land.  No  free  institution  can  realize  divi 
dends.  When  the  postage  was  three  cents,  the  postoffice 
not  only  paid,  but  yielded  a  revenue  of  several  millions  to 
the  national  treasury.  Every  employe  in  the  mail  service 
is  well  compensated  for  his  labor,  the  average  wages  be 
ing  nine  hundred  and  ninety  dollars  per  annum.  Two 
cents  will  carry  a  letter  to  the  farthest  end  of  the  Re 
public.  The  government  gives  seven  million  dollars  an 
nually  in  rent  for  one  thousand  postal  cars,  whose  con 
struction  costs  only  four  millions,  and  these  cars  will  last 
for  twenty  years.  Therefore,  the  railroads  rob  the  gov 
ernment  of  six  million,  eight  hundred  thousand  dollars 
annually.  The  Deboreh  and  Central  Road  charges  eight 
thousand,  five  hundred  dollars  for  every  car,  and  these 
cars  can  be  made  for  three  thousand,  five  hundred  dollars. 
In  addition  to  this,  the  roads  charge  one  cent  for  every 
fifty-six  miles  for  the  transportation  of  mail,  which  is 
eight  times  as  much  as  they  charge  the  express  com 
panies,  and  fifty  times  the  rate  paid  by  the  shippers.  More 
over,  thousands  of  tons  of  mail  are  sent  free,  such  as 
books  on  agriculture  and  millions  of  other  publications, 
to  say  nothing  of  the  low  rates  furnished  to  newspapers. 
Another  item  in  computing  the  amount  of  mail  carried  at 
the  expense  of  the  government  is  the  franking  system. 

"The  receipts  of  the  postoffice  in  1857  were  ninety 
million  dollars,  and  the  expenses  ninety-eight  million.  Of 
this  sum,  fifty-two  millions  were  paid  to  the  railroads. 
The  annual  robbery  perpetrated  by  railroads  against  the 
government  of  this  country  in  the  transportation  of  mails 
is  over  thirty  millions.  Stop  that  robbery,  and  there  will 
be  an  annual  profit  of  twenty-two  millions  accruing  to  the 
postoffice. 


214  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

"The  mail  service  in  Dan  realizes  a  profit  of  sixteen 
million  dollars.  In  Zabulon  it  aggregates  twenty-seven 
million;  in  New  Media  it  is  four  million,  and  in  every 
country  in  the  trans-arctic  world,  except  Toadia,  the  post- 
office  yields  a  revenue  to  the  national  treasury. 

"Public  roads  should  be  utilized  for  the  benefits  of 
the  community,  as  they  are  public  conveniences  built  for 
public  purposes  and  are  granted  franchise  by  the  govern 
ment.  The  people  should  demand  the  ownership  of  these, 
and  not  permit  private  corporations  to  fatten  on  the  pub 
lic  pap.  I  speak  not  only  of  railroads  but  of  street  car 
lines.  Are  not  these  lines  using  the  city  for  their  private 
purposes  ?  Are  they  not  accumulating  wealth  at  the  ex 
pense  of  the  public  ?  Let  us  emancipate  the  people  from 
the  reign  of  the  moneyed  oligarchy  of  the  land.  Let  us 
assert  and  defend  our  inalienable  rights,  of  which  we 
have  been  divested.  The  masses  are  but  caryatids  used  to 
sustain  the  temple  of  wealth. 

"The  actual  cost  of  transporting  passengers  is  less 
than  two  cents  in  great  cities  like  Deboreh,  Lidda,  Kidron 
and  Sohaman.  In  the  city- of  Deboreh,  the  Third  Avenue 
line,  which  is  twenty-eight  miles  long,  is  capitalized  at 
five  hundred  and  twenty-seven  thousand  dollars  per  mile. 
The  road  pays  five  per  cent  on  five  million  dollars  of 
bonds  and  ten  per  cent  on  ten  million  dollars  of  stock. 
The  net  earnings  per  mile  every  year  is  forty  thousand 
dollars.  The  Broadway  line  is  a  more  aggravated  case  of 
municipal  robbery.  It  has  ten  miles  of  line,  and  it  is  cap 
italized  at  one  million,  one  hundred  and  fifty-two  thou 
sand  dollars  per  mile. 

"The  president  of  the  General  Electric  Railway  Com 
pany  in  1855  offered  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  for 
the  franchise  from  the  north  to  the  south  of  the  city,  and 
promised  to  give  a  three-cent  fare  to  the  public.  It  was 
ably  proved  by  a  writer  in  the  Sun,  about  two  months  ago, 
that  the  west  line  could  afford  to  reduce  the  fare  to  one 
cent,  and  yet  give  a  large  dividend.  Millions  of  dollars 
are  yearly  cast  by  the  citizens  of  Deboreh  into  the  coffers 
of  the  street  railway  companies  without  any  compensar 
tion. 

"In  the  city  of  Tamolob  the  council  wisely  exacted 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  215 

from  the  street  car  lines  twenty  per  cent  of  their  gross  re 
ceipts  for  the  use  of  the  public  thoroughfares.  The  rev 
enue  derived  from  this  source  has  been  judiciously  in 
vested,  and  the  income  has  been  spent  in  securing  for  the 
city  a  system  of  beautiful  parks.  Since  the  Broadway 
franchise  scandal  the  Deboreh  street  railway  franchises 
are  sold  to  the  highest  bidder,  and  this  measure  has  pre 
vented  the  city  council  from  granting  the  rights  of  the 
people  to  private  corporations  for  their  personal  benefits. 

"Danish  bondholders  draw  six  hundred  and  fifty  thou 
sand  dollars  from  their  investments  In  street  railways  of 
the  cities  of  Laup  and  Polinisrop.  Did  the  ties  and  iron 
and  cars  come  from  Dan?  Did  Danish  labor  build  those 
lines?  If  the  people  of  the  twin  cities  built  those  lines 
they  should  own  them.  Why  should  Toadian  money  be 
shipped  across  the  waters  every  year  to  the  capitalists  of 
Hosea,  when  those  capitalists  have  done  nothing  for  the 
advancement  of  our  cities,  when  they  have  never  even 
seen  the  lines  which  yield  them  a  revenue  ?  Simply  be 
cause  our  people  do  not  comprehend  the  benefits  they 
would  receive  in  exchanging  the  credit  of  the  city  for  the 
labor  required  in  constructing  and  operating  these  roads, 
and,  in  their  ignorance,  they  pay  fabulous  sums  for  a  me 
dium  of  exchange. 

"The  cities  of  Deboreh,  Poorlyn,  Engeddi,  Telon  and 
Mason  have  their  water  lines,  which  yield  a  large  rev 
enue.  Why  not  go  a  step  further  and  have  a  complete 
ownership  of  every  municipal  franchise,  of  every  public 
enterprise?  Millions  could  be  saved  by  adopting  these 
wise  measures.  Port  David  is  the  only  city  in  Toadia 
with  municipal  ownership  of  railways.  Its  population 
does  not  exceed  two  thousand,  seven  hundred,  and  it  has 
an  electric  road  with  eight  miles  of  track.  The  construc 
tion  and  equipment  of  this  line  cost  one  hundred  and 
twelve  thousand  dollars,  or  fourteen  thousand  dollars  per 
mile.  The  annual  income  is  ten  thousand  dollars.  De 
ducting  from  this  sum  eight  thousand  for  operating,  and 
the  municipality  has  two  thousand  dollars  in  profits. 

"Romoto  has  built  and  operates  its  street  railways, 
which  cost  one  million,  five  hundred  thousand  dollars, 
and  the  yearly  profits  are  four  hundred  thousand  dollars. 


2l6  BEYOND   THE  BLACKOCEAN 

According  to  this  the  road  will  redeem  itself  in  four  years. 

"The  pawn  shops  of  our  country  lend  money  at  from 
twenty-five  to  fifty  per  cent.  In  Simeon  the  national 
pawn  shops  never  charge  higher  than  ten  per  cent,  and 
they  are  substantial  means  of  assisting  the  indigent 
classes,  and  are  actually  the  poor  man's  bank.  These 
banks  were  established  in  Rubek  as  early  as  1737,  and  in 
that  city  they  transact  a  business  of  seven  millions  an 
nually.  After  paying  all  expenses  and  interest  on  capital, 
their  profits  amount  to  three  hundred  thousand  dollars. 
Zabulon  has  eighty  cities  conducting  national  pawn  shops. 

"There  are  six  hundred  cities  in  the  world  with  mu 
nicipal  gas  plants,  and  the  rates  are  from  seventy-five  to 
one  hundred  per  cent  lower  than  the  private  companies 
in  Toadia.  Baron  has  a  plant  which  was  constructed  at 
a  cost  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-six  thousand  dollars, 
which  provides  the  city  with  gas  at  seventy-five  cents  per 
one  thousand;  and,  besides  lighting  the  streets  and  all 
public  buildings  free  of  cost,  there  is  an  annual  profit  of 
thirty  thousand  dollars  accruing  to  the  community.  In 
six  years  the  profits  covered  the  original  cost  of  the  plant. 
The  city  authorities  made  the  statement  last  year  that  the 
cost  of  gas,  including  labor,  repairs  and  extensions,  was 
only  forty  cents  per  one  thousand  feet.  Deboreh  is  robbed 
of  three  millions  every  year  by  private  gas  companies. 

"Meron  City  furnishes  gas  at  sixty  cents  per  one  thou 
sand  feet,  and  realizes  a  balance  of  forty  thousand  dollars 
annually.  Tamform  has  her  gas  at  fifty  cents  per  one 
thousand  feet.  Hosea  is  depending*  for  its  gas  on  the 
great  Danish  Trust,  which  has  a  capitalized  stock  aggre 
gating  eighty  million  dollars.  The  real  value  of  the  plant 
is  twenty  millions,  and  the  annual  dividends  amount  to 
nine  and  one-half  millions,  or  a  profit  of  forty-five  per 
cent  on  the  investment.  The  people  are  compelled  to  pay 
ninety-five  cents  per  one  thousand  feet.  Chesman,  with 
a  municipal  plant,  provides  gas  at  sixty  cents  per  one 
thousand  feet ;  and,  besides  lighting  public  buildings  and 
streets  and  parks  free,  has  a  net  profit  of  four  hundred 
and  fifty-three  thousand  dollars  per  annum,  which  is  spent 
in  making  city  improvements  and  reducing  taxation. 

"In  1842  Mungar  bought  her  plant  at  ten  million  dol- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  2I7 

lars,  and  she  supplies  gas  at  fifty  cents  per  nineteen  hun 
dred  feet,  and  has  an  annual  balance  of  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five  thousand  dollars.  She  has,  moreover,  re 
duced  the  hours  of  labor  for  those  employed  in  the  gas 
works  to  an  eight-hour  day,  and  advanced  the  wages. 
Wogsol  gives  gas  for  sixty  cents  per  one  thousand  feet, 
and  makes  an  annual  profit  of  three  hundred  thousand 
dollars.  Whenever  municipalities  have  purchased  plants 
from  private  corporations,  although  at  enormous  prices, 
they  have  invariably  and  immediately  reduced  the  cost  to 
consumers  from  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  and  one 
dollar  and  seventy-five  cents  to  seventy^five  and  fifty 
cents.  Desmon  has  gas  at  twenty-eight  cents  per  one 
thousand  feet,  and  the  municipality  has  promised  a  re 
duction  in  the  near  future. 

'The  public  health  demands  municipal  ownership  of 
the  water-works,  for  nothing  disseminates  the  germs  of 
disease  more  rapidly  and  efficaciously  than  impure  water. 
Is  it  wise  to  entrust  the  health  of  a  community  to  a  pri 
vate  company  who  will  economize  at  the  expense  of  its 
patrons  ?  In  many  cities  of  Toadia  the  water-works  are 
under  the  municipality,  and,  as  compared  with  the  private 
ownership  of  water  supplies,  statistics  prove  that  millions 
of  dollars,  as  well  as  scores  of  lives,  have  been  saved  by 
the  adoption  of  this  movement. 

"The  telephone,  operated  by  municipalities,  as  in  most 
of  the  cities  of  New  Israel,  shows  that  the  vast  cost  of  this 
convenience  can  be  reduced  at  least  one  hundred  per  cent. 
The  city  of  Smyral  saves  forty  per  cent  by  the  ownership 
of  the  electric  light;  Gilead  forty-nine  per  cent;  Kerops 
sixty-two  per  cent,  and  Loman  sixty-four  per  cent.  These 
are  four  illustrations  of  four  hundred  that  I  could  easily 
mention.  National  telegraph  and  telephone  lines  can 
furnish  service  five  hundred  per  cent  cheaper  than  the 
lines  operated  by  private  companies.  And  yet  people  will 
not  open  their  eyes  to  see  the  truth !  Why  permit  pri 
vate  corporations  to  rob  you  of  millions  annually  ?  It  is 
not  a  mystery  that  our  country  is  filled  with  kings  and 
beggars,  and  the  chasm  between  the  classes  is  growing 
wider  and  deeper  with  the  succession  of  the  seasons.  Let 
the  people  of  this  country  buy  out  the  corporations,  or 


2l8  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

build  other  industries  in  the  same  line  of  business,  in  case 
the  companies  refuse  to  relinquish  their  claims  to  the 
empire  of  the  nation's  wealth  and  power. 

'The  only  method  of  destroying  the  influence  of  the 
trusts  is  to  establish  government  trusts,  which  can  afford 
to  undersell  the  private  trusts,  and  the  latter  will  vanish 
in  a  week.  The  trusts  are  beneficial  to  the  nation  when 
they  give  the  benefit  of  their  power  to  the  consumer,  for 
a  mighty  industry  that  fills  every  corner  of  the  empire 
can  diminish  the  cost  of  production  and  exchange.  Mil 
lions  can  be  saved  by  avoiding  the  necessity  of  compe 
tition,  which  involves  useless  expenditure  of  exertion  in 
soliciting  patronage.  The  dairyman  is  compelled  to  waste 
half  of  his  time  in  seeking  patrons  for  his  produce.  While 
he  has  only  one  customer  in  the  extreme  east  part  of  the 
city,  there  is  another  in  the  extreme  west,  and  the  inter 
vening  space  is  occupied  by  a  dozen  competitors.  If  we 
had  the  government  control  of  the  milk  supply,  each 
wagon  would  have  its  territory,  and  there  would  be  no  ne 
cessity  for  competition,  since  each  would  furnish  the 
same  quantity  of  fluid  at  the  same  price.  People  would 
have  no  hesitancy  about  the  purity  of  the  article,  since 
the  government  would  have  no  motive  for  adulterating 
the  milk.  In  every  line  of  industry,  the  same  advantages 
are  apparent.  The  storekeeper  would  spend  no  money 
in  advertising  his  groceries,  as  he  is  an  agent  of  the  gov 
ernment,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  indifference  to  him  whether 
you  patronize  his  house  or  go  down  to  the  next  corner. 
In  fact,  there  would  be  no  necessity  for  the  multiplication 
of  stores.  One  vast  establishment  would  be  sufficient  to 
supply  the  demands  of  the  entire  city.  The  saving  from 
a  co-operative  system  of  production  and  distribution, 
under  the  management  of  the  government,  would  mount 
up  to  the  billions,  and  this  great  sum,  now  uselessly  ex 
pended,  would  go  to  the  consumers  and  producers." 

Some  readers  may  doubt  the  authenticity  of  these  fig 
ures,  but  they  are  verified  by  a  comparison  of  private  with 
government  industries  and  enterprises  here  in  America. 
In  the  report  of  1890,  Postmaster  General  Wanamaker 
said  that  an  investment  of  one  thousand  dollars  in  1858 
in  Western  Union  Stock  should  have  received,  up  to  that 


BEYOND   THE  BLACK  OCEAN  2IQ 

time,  stock  dividends'  of  more  than  fifty  thousand  dollars, 
and  cash  dividends  of  more  than  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars,  or  three  hundred  per  cent  each  year.  In  England, 
when  private  companies  had  charge  of  the  telegraph  lines, 
a  message  cost  sixty  cents,  and  to-day,  under  national 
control,  twelve  words  can  be  sent  for  twelve  cents.  In 
France  and  Belgium  the  government  telegraph  lines  will 
send  a  message  of  ten  words  for  ten  cents.  The  street 
railways  of  Glasgow  carry  thirty  per  cent  of  the  passen 
gers  for  two  cents,  and  yet  it  cleared  four  hundred  thou 
sand  dollars  in  1896.  We  cannot  give  these  advantages 
to  the  public  under  the  management  of  private  companies, 
since  w^e  are  compelled  to  pay  in  advanced  rates  large  divi 
dends  on  fictitious  capital. 

The  street  railway  plant  in  Philadelphia  cost  thirty-six 
million  dollars,  and  it  is  capitalized  at  one  hundred  and 
twenty  millions.  In  Chicago  the  street  railways  cost  thirty 
millions  and  they  pay  dividends  on  ninety  million.  In  St. 
Louis  the  cost  of  the  plant  is  ten  millions,  and  it  is  cap 
italized  at  ninety  millions.  It  is  not  surprising  that  the 
employes  of  that  line  went  on  a  strike  against  the  com 
pany. 

General  Meyer,  city  attorney  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  in 
1892,  showed  that  one  thousand  dollars  invested  in  the  gas 
company  of  that  city  in  1850  would  be  worth  twenty-four 
thousand  dollars  at  that  time,  with  six  per  cent  dividends 
each  year,  or  one  hundred  and  forty-four  per  cent  on  the 
original  investment.  The  Metropolitan  Telephone  Com 
pany  in  New  York  realized,  in  six  years,  the  enormous 
sum  of  two  million,  eight  hundred  thousand  dollars  on  an 
investment  of  six  hundred  thousand  dollars.  In  1885  it 
cleared  one  hundred  and  sixteen  per  cent;  in  1886,  one 
hundred  and  forty-seven  per  cent;  in  1887,  one  hundred 
and  forty-five  per  cent.  Elgin,  Illinois,  paid  a  private  com 
pany  two  hundred  and  forty-two  dollars  per  annum  for  an 
arc  light  till  midnight ;  and  since  1890 the  city  owns  and  op 
erates  an  electric  plant,  and  now  furnishes  an  arc  light  all 
night  for  eighty-five  dollars.  With  a  municipal  owner 
ship  of  electric  plant,  Detroit  has  reduced  the  cost  per  arc 
light  from  one  hundred  and  thirty  dollars  to  seventy-five 
dollars ;  Bangor,  Maine,  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  dol- 


220  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

lars  to  fifty-three  dollars;  Lewiston,  Maine,  from  one 
hundred  and  eighty-two  dollars  to  fifty-five  dollars ;  Pea- 
body,  Massachusetts,  from  one  hundred  and  eighty-five 
dollars  to  sixty-two  dollars;  Bay  City,  Michigan,  from 
one  hundred  and  ten  dollars  to  fifty-eight  dollars ;  Hunt- 
ington,  Indiana,  from  one  hundred  and  forty^-six  dollars 
to  fifty  dollars ;  Bloomington,  Illinois,  from  one  hundred 
and  eleven  dollars  to  fifty-one  dollars ;  Jacksonville,  Flor 
ida,  now  pays,  under  municipal  ownership,  just  three- 
fourths  what  was  paid  under  private  ownership. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

The  Presidential  election  occurred  in  "the  autumn  of 
1860.  The  Protectionists  embodied  in  their  platform  high 
tariff  and  imperialism ;  and  the  Liberals  adopted  the  anti 
trust  and  anti-imperialistic  planks.  The  Social  Demo 
cratic  Party  advocated  the  government  ownership  of  all 
the  means  of  production  and  distribution.  The  last  party 
attempted  to  form  an  alliance  with  the  Socialist  Labor 
party,  but  the  attempt  was  futile.  The  Union  Reform 
party  advocated  the  coalescence  of  all  political  organiza 
tions  seeking  to  ameliorate  the  condition  of  the  country, 
justly  supporting  its  claim  to  the  adherence  of  those  ani 
mated  with  the  pure  spirit  of  reformation  by  appealing  to 
the  fact  that  the  Initiative  and  Referendum  would  give 
every  voter  the  opportunity  of  expressing  his  views  on 
each  issue. 

In  the  late  election  the  Protectionists  polled  six  mil 
lion  ;  the  Liberals,  five  million ;  the  Social  Democrats,  one 
million ;  the  Single  Tax  party,  two  hundred  thousand ;  the 
Union  Reform  party,  three  hundred  thousand ;  the  Pro 
hibitionists,  one  hundred  thousand,  and  the  Socialist  La 
bor  party,  seven  hundred  thousand,  and  the  Nationalists, 
one  million,  six  hundred  thousand.  The  last  party  had 
been  in  existence  for  several  years.  They  advocated  the 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

municipal  ownership  of  public  utilities,  such  as  light, 
water,  and  street  railways,  and  the  national  ownership  of 
transportation,  besides  the  adoption  of  direct  legislation. 

Many  of  the  Socialists  favored  an  alliance  with  the  Na 
tionalists,  claiming  that  the  advocates  of  the  latter  party 
were  moderate  in  all  their  demands,  and  would  enlist  the 
support  of  a  large  class  of  voters  who  were  opposed  to 
the  radical  measures  adopted  in  the  platform  of  the  So 
cialist  party.  "The  farmers,"  wrote  an  exponent  of  the 
fusionists,  "will  oppose  Socialism,  for  they  will  not  aban 
don  the  rights  of  private  ownership  in  land,  and  the  farm 
ers  constitute  a  large  percentage  of  the  voters.  Again, 
the  small  merchants,  and  other  men  engaged  hi  private 
industries  with  a  small  amount  of  capital,  imagine  that 
Socialism  means  the  annihilation  of  their  means  of  sub 
sistence.  In  a  few  years,  the  trusts  will  wipe  out  the  small 
business  man,  and  then  he  will  become  a  Socialist.  The 
Nationalist  platform  would  immediately  enlist  in  our 
cause  a  majority  of  voters,  and  place  the  party  in  power. 
Socialism  will  begin  its  reign  by  the  municipal  ownership 
of  public  utilities,  and  then  it  will  proceed  to  nationalize 
the  railroads.  The  trusts  will  come  next,  and,  last  of  all, 
the  land.  Why  not,  then,  limit  our  demands  to<  those  ques1- 
tions  which  will  meet  with  the  approval  of  the  country  at 
large?  When  the  public  see  the  advantages  of  Socialism 
in  these  lines,  every  step  forward  will  meet  with  their  ap 
proval.  Socialism  must  come  gradually,  and  it  is-  defer 
ring  its  triumph  to  adopt  measures  in  our  platform  which 
cannot  be  realized  for  many  years  after  its  inauguration." 

But  all  efforts  to  consolidate  were  useless.  Politi 
cians  divided  the  forces  of  the  reform  parties,  preferring 
their  personal  interests  to  the  common  weal.  The  time 
for  fusion,  they  said,  had  not  arrived,  and  each  party,  un 
willing  to  make  any  advances,  adopted  an  independent 
platform. 

The  next  evening  after  the  election,  Lord  Aran  and 
Lord  Uriah,  who  had  come  over  to  watch  events,  and 
Judge  Tischendorf,  were  entertained  at  the  stately  resi 
dence  of  Ezichias  Rosebergen. 
'  "My  Lord  Aran,"  said  the  host,  "we  have  conquered 


222  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

again !     Imperialism  is  now  a  settled  question.     It  wiu 
never  come  up  again." 

"Yes,"  replied  the  nobleman,  "your  prophecies  have 
been  fulfilled.  You  have  realized  the  dream  of  your  am 
bition,  so  far ;  but  the  transition  from  imperialism  to  mon 
archy  is  rather  perilous." 

"O  tut!  tut!  nonsense,  my  Lord!  nothing  could  be 
more  easy.  The  press  will  do  it  all.  It  has  been  faithful 
to  its  obligations,  and  won  the  first  victory  in  the  founda 
tion  of  an  empire ;  the  second  victory  will  be  a  recreation 
instead  of  a  struggle.  Now,  the  next  step  in  this  matter 
is  to  increase  our  army  to  two  hundred  thousand.  Ne 
cessity  requires  this  to  conquer  the  Heronites.  We  will 
manage  to  bring  home  a  hundred  thousand  about  three 
years  from  the  next  inauguration,  and  then  we  will  pro 
claim  the  eight-year  term,  and  if  there  be  any  manifesta 
tion  of  rebellion,  we  will  crush  the  movement  in  its  incip- 
iency." 

"That's  it,  crush  it  at  once  !  Don't  let  the  hounds  have 
a  word  to  say !  Slaughter  them  like  sheep  !  Tie  them  to 
the  lamp-posts  and  lash  them  with  scorpion  whips !  You 
people  in  Toadia  are  entirely  too  subservient  to  the  opin 
ions  of  the  canaille.  Ah !  you  would  live  a  long  time  in 
the  empire  of  Dan  before  you  would  see  a  Danish  lord 
consulting  the  wishes  of  his  minions." 

"My  Lord,  we  have  been  entirely  too  kind  to  our  ser 
vants,"  said  Rosenberger.  "I  have  always  advocated 
the  subjection  of  the  poor  laboring  people  to  bondage, 
and  it  will  come  to  that  yet  in  this  country.  What  right 
have  these  illiterate  boors  to  the  use  of  the  franchise?" 

"Franchise?"  exclaimed  Aran.  "I  would  franchise 
their  backs  with  rawhides !  The  idea  of  a  herd  of  swine 
dictating  to  intelligent  people  by  using  the  ballot !  Why, 
it  will  not  be  long,  if  this  privilege  is  tolerated,  before  you 
will  have  a  blacksmith  for  President." 

"No  danger  of  that,  my  Lord  !  We  will  conquer  their 
ambition  before  the  next  election,  and  to-day  eight  years, 
you  and  my  son-in-law,  Lord  Uriah,  will  be  invited  to  the 
coronation  of  the  first  king  of  Toadia." 

"That  is  capital !"  remarked  Lord  Uriah.    "How  would 
it  do  to -make  me  the  first  king?" 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  223 

"That  will  come  in  a  very  short  time  after  the  coup-d'- 
etat,  and  either  you,  or  Lord  Aran,  will  be  the  King  of 
Toadia  yet.  And  I  will  be  Duke  of  Engeddi,  and  we  will 
find  an  earldom  for  Judge  Tischendorf.  Eh,  Judge,  how' 
does  that  strike  you?" 

"Nothing  could  please  me  better,  and  I  have  no  doubt 
of  the  accomplishment  of  your  purposes,"  replied  the 
Judge.  "Although  the  Social  Democrats  registered  one 
million  votes  at  the  election  yesterday,  and  the  Socialist 
Labor  party  seven  hundred  thousand,  I  can  safely  assert 
that  their  day  is  ended,  and  the  members  of  those  an 
archistic  organizations  have  cast  their  last  ballot.  The 
days  of  campaigns  are  over  in  Toadia,  and  we  will  live  to 
see  those  turbulent  bands  of  wretches  chained  to  our  door 
posts  and  wearing  the  livery  of  slaves.  We  have  suc 
ceeded  so  well  in  our  intrigues  that  the  hopes  of  retrogres 
sion  are  forever  blasted.  There  is  only  one  power  in<  the 
Republic,  and  that  is  the  money  power,  and  before  an 
other  lustrum,  its  potency  will  be  unquestionable ;  it  will 
be  the  only  factor  in  the  government  of  the  land.  Al 
ready  we  buy  the  legislatures  and  the  national  Congress 
and  Senate.  You  see  the  yokels  and  clouts  cannot  dis 
tinguish  between  virtue  and  vice,  and  they  always  cast 
their  votes  for  the  men  of  the  worst  stripe,  who  are  unable 
to  resist  the  fascination  of  gold." 

While  this  conference  was  taking  place  in  Engeddi, 
there  was  a  subject  of  a  different  nature  being  discussed 
at  the  Gehtheimer  mansion  in  Deboreh.  Lord  Jesse  had. 
disappeared  from  the  city,  and  it  was-  ascertained  that  he 
had  sailed  on  the  steamship  Bethlehem  from  Lidda  with 
Mrs.  Reisan.  Benjamin  Marx  had  called  that  evening  on 
Miss  Lucile,  whom  he  had  been  wooing  for  some  time. 
He  was  a  bright,  handsome  young  man  from  Sohonam, 
and  had  succeeded  in  winning  the  heart  of  the  fair  maid. 
He  represented  himself  as  the  son  of  a  wealthy  gold 
miner,  and  although  he  was  in  every  way  worthy  of  the 
first  family  of  Deboreh,  yet  Mrs.  Gehtheimer  strictly  op 
posed  his  attentions  to  her  daughter,  as  long  as  the  Dan 
ish  lord  gave  her  hopes  of  a  higher  order.  But  now  the 
nobleman  had  proved  recreant  to  his  promises,  and 
seemed  to  be  fascinated  with  the  charms  of  Mrs.  Reisan. 


224  BEYOND   THE   BLACK   OCEAN 

That  lady's  husband  had  never  returned,  and  it  was*  wide 
ly  rumored  that  he  had  abandoned  his  wife  because  of  her 
intimacy  with  the  Danish  aristocrat.  It  was  generally 
supposed  that  he  had  clandestinely  secured  a  divorce,  and 
liberated  his  spouse  from  her  nuptial  vows.  Before  his 
departure  he  had  left  papers  bequeathing  her  his  prop 
erty  in  Deboreh,  including  a  factory,  houses,  real  estate, 
bank  and  street  railway  stocks,  amounting  to  more  than 
five  millions  of  dollars.  Although  the  extent  of  his  prop 
erty  was  not  known,  it  was  generally  presumed  that  since 
he  had  made  such  large  bequests  to  his  wife,  that  he  had 
millions  in  other  investments. 

"Do  you  think  Lord  Jesse  intends  to  marry  Mrs. 
Reisan?"  asked  Benjamin  Marx  to  Mrs.  Gehtheimer. 

"It  is  not  necessary  to  marry  her,  as  it  is  known  to  the 
people  of  this  city  that  they  have  been  married  for  several 
years,  and  as  her  husband  was  not  an  ardent  advocate  of 
polygamy,  he  simply  resigned  his  rights  to  Lord  Jesse." 

"Where  do  you  think  they  have  gone?" 

"Oh,  I  presume  they  are  located  in  Dan,  or  perhaps  on 
the  continent  of  New  Israel." 

"I  always  esteemed  Lord  Jesse  very  high.  In  my 
mind,  he  was  the  pink  of  perfection." 

"Well,  Mr.  Marx,  I  thought  so  once,  but  I  have  dis 
covered  since  that  he  is  a  character  of  the  vilest  type." 

"Why,  you  astonish  me !  I  cannot  comprehend  your 
words.  What  has  wrought  this  marvelous  change  in  your 
estimation  of  the  Danish  nobleman?" 

"There  are  stains  on  his  life  that  would  make  the 
angels  weep  on  their  jasper  thrones !"  cried  she.  "The 
blood  of  the  Savior,  adored  by  the  Christians,  if  He  be  the 
Son  of  the  Most  High,  could  not  purify  the  crimsoned 
soul  of  Lord  Jesse." 

"You  do  not  intend  to  say  that  this  accomplished  gen 
tleman  has  tarnished  his  character  with  the  effusion  of 
human  blood  ?"  exclaimed  the  young  man. 

"Do  you  not  know,  Mr.  Marx,  that  a  web  of  mystery 

was  woven  around  that  man's  career  ?    He  came  among 

•us  a  stranger,  and  the  more  I  studied  his  character  the 

more  I  felt  convinced  that  some  revelation'  of  a  startling 

nature  would  be  made." 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  225 

"Have  you  any  information  bearing  on  the  subject?" 

"I  know  enough  to  put  Lord  Jesse  behind  the  prison 
bars.  He  made  confidants  of  our  family,  and  I  do  not 
wish  to  betray  him ;  but  when  I  learned  these  things,  I  dis 
carded  his  friendship,  and  in  his  fears  he  left  the  country 
with  that  scarlet  wretch." 

"This  is  certainly  news  to  me !  I  never  dreamed  that 
Lord  Jesse  was  suspected  of  the  slightest  misdemeanor. 
What  was  the  nature  of  the  crime  he  committed,  and 
where  did  he  commit  it?" 

"I  will  answer  those  questions  some  time,  perhaps, 
but  not  to-night." 

Here  the  conversation  ended,  as  Miss  Lucille  entered 
the  drawing-room. 

Moses  Gilhooley  and  Abraham  McGillicuddy  and  his 
father  had  gone  down  to  Einstein's  to  spend  a  few  hours. 
The  two  elderly  gentlemen  had  taken  great  interest  in  the 
election ;  and  they  had  come  to  Deboreh  to  congratulate 
Abraham  on  the  growth  of  Socialism,  as  manifested  in  the 
large  number  of  votes  polled,  and  to  encourage  him  in  the 
work  of  reformation. 

"Mr.  Einstein,  have  you  heard  from  your  daughter 
since  she  left  for  Jonas  ?"  inquired  Moses  Gilhooley. 

"I  received  a  letter  from  her  last  week.  She  had  just 
arrived  and  was  very  well.  She  gave  quite  an  interesting 
account  of  her  voyage  and  her  first  impression  of  Jonas 
and  the  Jonites.  They  are  certainly  a  noble  race  of  peo 
ple,  and  they  are  gallantly  fighting  against  the  mightiest 
power  on  the  globe." 

"How  large  is  Jonas  ?" 

"The  entire  population  does  not  exceed  four  hundred 
thousand,  and  the  army  is  about  forty  thousand." 

"And  yet  they  are  engaged  in  war  with  a  nation  of 
two  hundred  and  fifty  millions,  including  her  colonies ; 
and  as  she  has  taxed  the  resources  of  all  her  dominions, 
we  can  truthfully  state  that  Jonas  is  fighting  the  Danish 
Empire.  How  long  will  Miss  Biddy  remain  in  Jonas1?" 

"Till  the  war  is  over,  if  that  be  a  period  of  twenty 
years.  We  are  in  sympathy  with  the  young  Republic,  and 
we  did  not  oppose  her  intention  of  going  with  the  hospital 
corps,  as  it  would  divert  her  mind,  which  has  been  under 


226  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

an  awful  strain  since  the  tragic  death  of  poor  Isaac.  Be 
sides,  Biddy  had,  from  her  earliest  years,  a  penchant  for 
charitable  work,  and  this  is  an  opportunity  to  exercise 
her  native  proclivities." 

"She  is  a  noble  girl.  When  I  first  saw  her,  I  remarked 
to  Louise  that  Isaac  had  shown  that  he  was  a  man  of  ex 
cellent  merit  when  he  had  won  the  heart  of  such  a  maiden. 
May  God  bless  her  young  life,  and  may  she  become  the 
Judith  of  New  Israel,  and  may  she  meet  with  some  man 
who  is  worthy  of  her  love." 

"That  will  be  impossible,  Mr.  Gilhooley.  There  are, 
in  the  world,  many  men  worthy  of  Biddy,  but  the  door  of 
her  heart  is  closed  to  the  wiles  of  Cupid.  Her  affections 
are  buried  in  Meron  Cemetery,  and  moulder  writh  the 
bones  of  Isaac  Gilhooley." 

The  old  man  wept  when  reference  was  made  to  the 
grave  of  his  son,  and  the  tears  trickled  down  the  face  of 
Mr.  Einstein  when  he  saw  the  venerable  figure  bow  his 
head  in  sorrow. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

-  "Mr.  Marx,  have  you  read  the  latest  issue  of  'The 
Flaming  Sword'  ?" 

"No,  I  have  not,  Mr.  Simon.  Anything  in  it  of  a  start 
ling  nature?" 

"I  cannot  say  that  it  contains  any  extraordinary 
statements ;  but  you  know  that  it  always  has  something 
new  and  spicy,  and  each  number  seems  to  be  more  fasci 
nating  than  the  one  preceding.  Here  is  a  copy  of  the  pa 
per  and  you  may  look  over  its  columns.  I  wish  to  call 
your  attention  to  the  contribution  on  Socialism  supported 
by  scriptural  and  Christian  doctrine." 

"I  shall  read  that  letter,  Mr.  Simon,  for  I  am  anx 
ious  to  see  what  argument  McGillicuddy  presents  from 
the  Bible  to  sustain  the  morality  of  Socialism,"  and  un- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  227 

folding  the  paper,  Marx  read  the  article  under  the  follow 
ing  headlines : 

The  doctrine  of  God  compared  with  the  doctrine  of 
men.  The  Socialism  of  Israel  and  the  wealth  of  the  Gen 
tiles.  Let  us  choose  between  Jesus  and  Caesar. 

There  are  many  ministers  of  the  Church,  both  ancient 
and  modern,  who  have  lent  the  weight  of  their  authority  to 
cause  of  humanity;  but  there  are  hosts  of  divines  who 
worship  at  the  altar  of  Mammon,  and  daily  prostitute  their 
genius  and  are  willing  to  sacrifice  their  lives  to  maintain 
the  pretentious  of  the  strong  and  the  mighty  against  the 
cry  of  the  poor  and  the  oppressed. 

Rev.  Aaron  Nicholson,  in  his  sermon  last  Sunday, 
stated  that  Socialism  was  immoral  and  iniquitous,  and  as 
civilized  and  religious  people  we  should  exterminate  this 
unholy  doctrine,  and  purify  the  land  of  the  presence  of 
those  who  have  filled  it  with  the  fires  of  revolution  and  the 
germs  of  corruption.  I  wish  to  call  the  attention  of  the 
public  to  the  attitude  assumed  by  Aaron  Nicholson  in 
reference  to  the  Single  Tax  many  years  ago,  when  he  ut 
tered  the  same  opinion  through  the  columns  of  the  Meron 
Ledger,  as  he  expressed  in  his  recent  sermon.  Isaac  Gil- 
hooley  was  then  a  student  at  the  University  of  Meron,  and 
the  public  know  how  the  young  athlete  exposed  the  pre 
tentious  preacher  in  the  field  of  intellectual  gymnastics. 
Mr.  Nicholson  proved  to  the  whole  world  that  he  was  a 
mental  pygmy,  and  the  veriest  tyro  in  the  school  of  po 
litical  economy.  He  made  several  vain  attempts  to  shield 
himself  from  the  shafts  of  logic  clothed  in  caustic  irony, 
but  Gilhooley  followed  the  philosopher  of  the  Island  City 
through  all  his  protean  transformations. 

I  recall  those  sallies  of  humor  poured  forth  on  the 
head  of  the  clerical  bumpkin.  "The  wiseacre  from  the 
Ammonitic  waves  has  donned  the  hues  of  the  chameleon. 
The  end  has  come,  the  end  that  never  had  a  beginning. 
My  opponent  has  fled  in  disgrace  from  the  bloody  arena, 
and  now  he  pleads  like  a  whimpering  babe  for  the  palm  of 
victory.  I  should  have  had  profound  respect  for  his  char 
acter  had  he  acknowledged,  with  the  humility  of  our  an 
cient  sire,  'Lord,  I  was  afraid,  because  I  was  naked,  and 
hid  myself/  "  A  man  endowed  with  ideas  of  common 


228  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

decency  would  not  hazard  his  reputation  for  learning  by 
expressing  his  views  on  a  question  of  which  he  has  not 
the  slightest  knowledge.  If  ignorance  be  the  object  of 
Rabbi  Nicholson's  ambition,  he  could  never  graduate 
more  honorably  than  at  the  present  time. 

We  love  the  grand  old  church  of  the  patriarchs,  an  in 
stitution  that  has  seen  the  rise  and  fall  of  every  empire  in 
the  world,  an  institution  that  traces  its  origin  back  to  the 
days  when  the  Pharaohs  ruled  on  the  shores  of  the  Nile, 
when  Assyria  was  queen  of  the  Orient,  when  Nineveh 
and  Babylon  adorned  the  streams  of  Paradise.  I  love  that 
grand  old  empire,  for  it  was  the  cree.d  of  my  maternal  an 
cestors.  Its  teachings  have  been  transmitted  through  all 
the  centuries,  and  penetrated  every  region  of  the  earth. 
As  we  learned  from  the  histories  brought  to  this  country 
by  the  passengers  of  the  Rochelle,  the  sons  of  Judah  have 
controlled  the  finance  and  commerce  of  all  Christian  na 
tions,  and  we,  on  this  side  of  the  Black  Ocean,  have  estab 
lished  a  score  of  mighty  empires  which  have  surpassed 
every  power  in  either  the  old  or  new  world,  in  ancient  or 
modern  times. 

I  also  love  the  Church  of  the  Messiah,  for  my  paternal 
ancestors  were  rocked  in  the  cradle  of  Christianity,  and 
lived  in  the  shadow  of  the  altar.  I  have  read  the  history 
of  that  church,  and  I  have  been  enchanted  with  the  glory 
of  her  triumphs.  Hail,  glorious  Church!  Thy  conquests 
are  written  in  every  city  and  town,  every  village  and  ham 
let,  from  the  Gulf  of  Bothnia  to  the  shores  of  the  Bospho- 
rus.  Thy  achievements  are  displayed  in  the  ruins  of  pa 
gan  shrines  and  the  transformation  of  heathen  temples. 
Thy  history  is  inscribed  on  the  rocks  of  the  Pyrenees,  on 
the  crags  of  the  Apennines,  on  the  summit  of  the  Balkans, 
on  the  peaks  of  the  Alps,  on  the  stones  of  Venice  and  the 
hills  of  Rome,  on  the  walls  of  Genoa  and  the  gates  of 
Florence.  Hail,  glorious  Church!  Thy  victories  are 
manifested  in  the  Museums  of  London  and  Edinburgh, 
Paris  and  Munich,  Brussels  and  Vienna;  in  the  universi 
ties  of  Freiburg  and  Innsbruck,  Siena  and  Perugia,  Ox 
ford  and  Cambridge;  in  the  galleries,  schools  and  libra 
ries  of  Italy  and  Spain,  France  and  Germany,  Holland 
and  Belgium.  Hail,  glorious  Church!  The  triumphs  of 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  22Q 

thy  march  are  seen  on  the  shores  of  the  Rhine  and  the 
Seine,  the  Reuss  and  the  Rhone,  the  Elbe  and  the  Dan 
ube;  and  the  story  of  thy  splendor  is  sung  by  the  rippling 
waves  of  the  Vistula  and  the  Volga,  the  Oder  and  the 
Meuse,  the  Tagus  and  the  Elro.  Hail,  glorious  Church ! 
The  shadow  of  thy  glory  rests  on  all  the  lakes  and  on  all 
the  bays,  on  all  the  mountains  and  on  all  the  vales,  on  all 
the  forests  and  on  all  the  moors  of  Christian  Europe. 

The  hills  of  Israel  were  consecrated  by  the  voice  of 
God,  and  hallowed  by  the  footsteps  of  angels.  I  love  to 
wander  in  fancy's  glorious  flight  along  the  valley  of  the 
Jordan,  amidst  the  vineyards  of  Engeddi,  and  over  the 
plains  of  Jericho.  I  love  to  visit  the  city  that  fell  into  a 
heap  of  ruins  at  the  magic  sound  of  the  trumpet.  I  love  to 
linger  amid  the  olive  groves  of  Palestine,  and  pluck  the 
wild  thyme  from  the  'banks  that  guarded  her  limpid 
streams.  I  love  to  listen  to  the  doleful  music  of  the  Dead 
Sea,  where  Jehovah  burned  the  iniquities  of  a  degenerate 
people,  and  rescued  Lot  and  his  family  from  the  flames  of 
His  wrath.  I  love  to  kiss  the  tombs  of  the  patriarchs,  and 
venerate  the  ashes  of  the  prophets.  I  love  to  behold  Sha 
ron  rejoicing  in  her  wealth  of  golden  grain  and  watch  the 
herds  grazing  on  her  verdant  slopes. 

In  my  ardent  admiration  for  Israelism,  the  religion  of 
prophesies  and  promises,  and  Christianity,  the  realization 
of  all  the  dreams  of  the  ancient  seers,  whose  glories  re 
spond  to  the  sighs  of  the  good  and  great  men  of  every 
age,  since  the  bridal  pair  were  banished  from  the  shady 
groves  and  babbling  brooks  of  Eden;  in  my  admiration 
for  the  faith  of  Jew  and  Gentile,  I  will  not  permit  the  reve 
lations  of  the  Most  High,  treasured  up  in  Church  and 
Synagogue,  to  be  distorted  and  perverted  by  an  ignorant 
clergyman. 

Nicholson  is  a  blind  man  leading  the  blind.  He  as 
persed  the  snowy  brow  of  justice,  and  his  blasphemous 
utterances  have  defiled  the  temple  of  sanctity.  Although 
the  Ancient  Testament  does  not  denounce  wealth  as  an 
essential  evil,  it  everywhere  speaks  against  its  possession 
as  an  obstacle  to  the  growth  of  holiness.  The  wisest  king 
that  ever  ruled  in  the  Promised  Land  says,  "How  long  will 
fools  covet  those  things  which  are  hurtful  to  themselves. 


230  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

He  that  trusteth  in  his  riches  shall  fail."  Prov.  i.,  II.  "A 
covetous  man  shall  not  be  satisfied  with  money."  Eccls. 
v.  "The  eye  of  the  covetous  man  is  insatiable  in  his  por 
tions  of  iniquity."  Eccli.  xiv.  "He  that  seeketh  to  be  en 
riched,  turneth  away  his  eye."  Ibid,  xxvii.  "For  the  in 
iquity  of  his  coveteousness  I  was  angry."  Isa.  Ixix.  "I 
spoke  to  thee  in  thy  prosperity,  and  thou  saidst  I  will  not 
hear."  Jerem.  xxii.  These  are  a  few  illustrations  taken 
from  the  writings  of  Israel's  great  prophets  who  stood  on 
the  lofty  summit  of  vision  and  beheld  the  throne  of  love 
and  justice  where  the  angels  of  God  dwell  together  as  the 
brothers  of  the  same  household. 

Why  did  the  teachers  of  the  chosen  people  warn  them 
against  the  perils  of  wealth?  Because  the  amassment  of 
wealth  corrupts  the  seat  of  affection,  begets  avarice,  ban 
ishes  charity  from  the  human  heart  and  dethrones  God 
from  the  empire  of  the  human  soul.  Place  a  person  in  the 
school  of  pugilism  and  he  will  develop  his  muscular  power 
that  he  may  excel  in  fistic  encounters.  Place  him  with 
the  roving  Scythians,  and  he  will  become  an  archer.  Make 
eloquence  the  standard  of  great  souls,  and  every  man  will 
study  the  art  of  swaying  the  thoughts  and  opinions  of  the 
multitudes  by  the  charms  of  rhetoric  and  the  grace  of 
speech.  So  if  you  make  money  or  wealth  the  key  to 
power,  we  will  strive  to  possess  treasures  of  gold. 

This  ambition  produces  another  direful  effect.  As 
wealth  becomes  the  magic  wand  of  power  in  the  world, 
poverty  becomes  a  mark  of  reproach.  Men  shrink  from 
poverty  for  two  reasons.  First  it  is  the  cause  of  sorrow 
and  agonies  that  tax  the  endurance  of  the  strongest  char 
acter.  Hence  they  fear  it  and  endeavor  to  avoid  its  pres 
ence  by  the  employment  of  every  means.  If  they  are  not 
endowed  with  deep  religious  sentiments,  they  will  trample 
on  the  moral  law  in  their  attempt  to  flee  from  the  shadow 
of  want  and  hunger.  This  is  why  our  land  is  filled  with 
dishonesty.  This  is  why  our  jails  have  been  built,  and  our 
scaffolds  have  been  erected.  This  has  introduced  the 
haunts  of  vice  into  our  cities,  where  the  maiden  blush  of 
purity  is  sacrificed  on  the  altar  of  lust.  Would  these  fair 
yOung  damsels  sell  their  virtue  to  the  roues  of  this  shame 
less  and  licentious  age,  were  they  not  driven  by  the  pangs 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  231 

of  hunger  to  seek  refuge  in  the  temple  of  Venus?  The 
matrons  of  our  land  complain  of  the  marital  infidelity  of 
their  husbands.  If  they  would  use  their  influence  in  the 
economic  reformation  of  the  country,  no  brothels  would 
tarnish  the  purity  of  our  great  cities,  and  the  homes  of  our 
people  would  be  crowned  with  domestic  bliss,  and  the 
firesides  of  the  family  would  be  consecrated  by  the  love  of 
husband  and  wife,  and  the  devotion  of  sons  and  daughters. 
You  never  can  reform  the  morals  of  an  age,  until  you  de 
scend  to  the  root  of  the  evil,  and  eradicate  the  cause  that 
has  wrecked  millions  of  lives,  and  disintegrated  thousands 
of  families. 

When  men  have  succeeded  in  accumulating  a  com 
petency,  they  feel  their  independence,  and  realize  the  in 
fluence  they  wield  in  society.  They  at  once  entertain  the 
dream  of  dominating  the  classes  by  the  charm  of  their 
possessions,  and  onward  they  march  in  pursuit  of  the  god 
dess  of  fortune,  through  all  the  avenues  of  life,  trampling 
every  noble  impulse  of  human  nature  under  their  feet 
when  it  cries  out  against  their  injustice,  silencing  the 
voice  of  conscience,  closing  their  ears  to  the  wails  of 
widows  and  orphans  created  by  their  relentless  march  of 
iniquity  from  the  altar  of  God  to  the  throne  of  Mammon. 

The  Crucified  King  relentlessly  scores  the  accumula 
tion  of  wealth  as  a  source  of  evil.  'For  where  thy  treasure 
is,  there  is  thy  heart,  also.  No  man  can  serve  two  masters, 
for  he  will  either  hate  the  one  and  love  the  other,  or  he  will 
hold  to  the  one  and  despise  the  other."  Math,  vi.,  21.  But 
the  disciples  of  the  Nazarene  reply  to  this  passage  by 
stating  that  it  is  only  the  inordinate  desire  for  wealth  that 
is  condemned  by  the  Founder  of  Christianity.  I  answer 
the  assertion  by  saying  that  there  is  always  an  inordinate 
desire  of  wealth,  when  its  possessor  revels  in  luxury  while 
millions  of  willing  workers  are  starving  for  bread.  If  you 
loved  God,  you  could  not  devote  your  life  to  the  acquisi 
tion  of  wealth.  You  would  expend  the  energies  of  mind 
and  body  in  the  elevation  of  humanity.  You  would  be 
found  in  the  cabin  and  the  shanty,  administering  to  those 
who  are  victimized  by  our  social  maladjustments. 

Again  Jesus  said  to  his  disciples:  ''Amen,  I  say  to 
you  that  a  rich  man  shall  hardly  enter  into  the  kingdom 


232  BEYOHD  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

of  heaven/  And  again,  'I  say  to  you:  It  is  easier  for  a 
camel  to  pass  through  the  eye  of  a  needle  than  for  a  rich 
man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven.'  Math,  xix.,  23. 
These  quotations  are  sufficient  to  prove  that  Christ  con 
demned  riches  as  the  source  of  all  evil.  Yet  His  disciples 
to-day  claim  that  it  is  the  foundation  of  all  blessings.  You 
may  steal,  rob  and  murder;  you  may  malign  your  neigh 
bor  and  asperse  the  virgin  brow  of  innocence;  but  if  you 
have  money,  your  iniquities  are  covered  with  the  laurel 
wreath.  The  primitive  Church  of  Christianity,  inspired  by 
the  example  of  the  Man  of  Sorrows,  trampled  on  the  al 
lurements  of  wealth,  and  everywhere  proclaimed  the  gos 
pel  of  love  and  equality.  The  Roman  senator  and  the 
Roman  soldier,  the  Roman  matron  and  the  Roman  noble, 
when  once  purified  in  the  flood  of  regeneration,  and  dress 
ed  in  the  white  robe  of  baptismal  innocence,  distributed 
their  goods  to  feed  the  poor  and  to  cover  the  naked. 

"  Take  heed  and  beware  of  all  covetousness,'  says 
Christ,  'for  a  man's  life  doth  not  consist  in  the  abundance 
of  things  which  he  possesseth.'  Luke  xii.,  15.  'For  they 
who  would  become  rich  fall  into  temptation,  and  into  the 
snare  of  the  devil  and  into  many  unprofitable  and  hurtful 
desires,  which  draw  men  into  destruction  and  perdition.' 
Tim.  vi.,  10.  And  yet  men  will  expose  themselves  to  these 
terrible  temptations,  these  awful  crimes,  and  the  Church 
sanctions  their  actions.  The  lover  of  wealth  rides  through 
the  blood  of  the  millions  to  the  temple  of  Mammon.  The 
young  man  in  the  Gospel  had  kept  the  commandments 
from  his  youth,  and  yet  Jesus  says  that  there  is  another 
condition  for  salvation.  He  must  distribute  his  goods  to 
the  poor. 

The  early  Fathers  of  Christianity  taught  Socialism  as 
the  doctrine  of  their  Founder,  and  the  primitive  Church 
was  a  communism.  The  saints  of  old  had  no  private 
property.  'All  is  common  with  us,  except  women,'  says 
Tertullain.  'We  carry  on  us  all  we  possess,  and  share 
everything  with  the  poor,'  writes  Justin.  'The  soil  was 
given  to  the  rich  and  the  poor,'  says  Ambrose. 
'Wherefore,  O  ye  rich!  do  you  unjustly  claim  it  for  your 
selves  alone?  Nature  gave  all  things  in  common  for  the 
use  of  all.  Usurpation  created  private  right.'  'Behold,' 


BEROND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN.  233 

says  St.  John  Chrysostom,  'the  idea  we  have  of  the  rich 
and  covetous:  they  are  truly  as  robbers  who,  standing  in 
the  public  highway,  despoil  the  passerby;  they  convert 
their  chambers  into  caverns  in  which  they  bury  the  goods 
of  others.'  'It  is  no  great  thing,'  writes  St.  Gregory  the 
Great,  'not  to  rob  others  of  their  belongings,  and  in  vain 
do  they  think  themselves  innocent  who  appropriate  to 
their  own  use  those  things  which  God  gave  in  common. 
By  not  giving  to  others  that  which  they  themselves  re 
ceived,  they  become  homicides  and  murderers,  inasmuch 
as  keeping  for  themselves  those  things  which  would  have 
alleviated  the  sufferings  of  the  poor,  we  may  say  that  they 
every  day  cause  the  death  of  as  many  persons  as  they 
might  have  fed  and  did  not.  When,  therefore,  we  offer 
the  means  of  living  to  the  indigent,  we  do  not  give  them 
anything  of  ours,  but  that  which  of  right  belongs  to  them. 
It  is  less  a  work  of  mercy  we  perform  than  the  payment  of 
a  debt/ 

"  'Unhappy  ones  that  you  are,'  says  St.  Basil,  address 
ing  the  rich.  'What  answer  will  you  make  to  the  great 
Judge?  You  cover  with  tapestry  the  bareness  of  your 
walls,  and  do  not  clothe  the  nakedness  of  men.  You  adorn 
your  steeds  with  rich  and  costly  trappings,  and  despise 
your  brother  who  is  in  rags.  You  allow  the  corn  in  your 
granaries  to  rot,  or  be  eaten  up  by  vermin,  and  you  deign 
not  to  cast  a  glance  on  those  who  have  no  bread.  You 
hoard  your  wealth,  and  deign  not  to  look  on  those  who 
are  worn  and  oppressed  by  necessity.  You  will  say  to  me : 
'What  wrong  do  I  commit  if  I  hoard  that  which  is  mine?' 
And  I  ask  you,  'Which  are  the  things  which  you  think 
belong  to  you?  From  whom  did  you  receive  them?  You 
act  like  a  man,  who,  being  in  a  theater  and  having  seized 
upon  the  place  that  others  might  have  taken,  seeks  to 
prevent  every  one  else  from  entering,  applying  to  his  own 
use  that  which  should  be  for  the  use  of  all.  And  thus  it  is 
with  the  rich,  who,  having  been  the  first  to  obtain  posses 
sion  of  those  things  which  should  be  common  to  all,  ap 
propriate  them  to  themselves,  and  retain  them  in  their 
possession;  for  if  each  one  took  only  that  which  is  neces 
sary  for  his  subsistence,  and  gave  the  rest  to  the  indigent, 
there  would  be  neither  rich  nor  poor/ 


234  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

St.  John  Chrysostom  said  to  the  wealthy  and  luxurious 
people  of  Antioch  and  Constantinople:  'You  received 
your  fortunes  by  inheritance;  so  be  it.  Therefore  you 
have  not  sinned  personally,  but  how  know  you  that  you 
may  not  be  enjoying  the  fruits  of  theft  and  crimes  com 
mitted  before  you.'  This  renowned  saint  and  scholar 
could  not  conceive  the  idea  that  vast  fortunes  could  be 
amassed  without  fraud  or  robbery,  and  his  views  were 
perfectly  correct.  Wealth  is  the  result  of  toil.  An  article 
belongs  to  me  in  virtue  of  the  fact  that  it  is  a  creation  of 
my  labor.  There  is  no  other  basis  of  property.  Now,  if 
a  man  emerges  in  one  generation  from  a  state  of  mendi 
cancy  to  the  exalted  rank  of  a  money  king,  owning  mil 
lions  of  dollars,  he  has  certainly  appropriated  the  earnings 
of  other  people. 

It  was  this  conception  of  justice,  this  idea  of  eco 
nomics,  that  all  wealth  is  the  result  of  labor  expending  its 
energies  on  natural  resources  and  developing  the  hidden 
treasures  of  the  earth,  that  inspired  the  utterances  of  the 
prophets  of  the  Ancient  Testament,  and  the  warnings  of 
Christ  in  the  New  Law.  It  was  this  knowledge  that  actu 
ated  the  early  Fathers  in  their  denunciations  of  wealth. 
The  Fathers  did  not  condemn  wealth  in  itself,  but  they 
knew,  as  St.  John  Chrysostom  has  said,  that  vast  wealth 
could  only  be  accumulated  by  fraud  and  monopoly  and 
usury,  and  hence  they  condemned  that  which  came  not 
honesty  into  existence. 

Jacob  Nehias  began  the  struggle  of  life  without  a  dol 
lar,  and  he  possessed  two  hundred  millions  when  he  died. 
Had  he  earned  four  dollars  per  day,  it  would  have  taken 
him  fifty  million  days,  or  one  hundred  and  sixty  thousand 
years  to  accumulate  that  fortune.  If  Adam,  the  father  of 
the  human  race,  beginning  life  six  thousand  years  ago, 
had  continued  on  earth  through  all  ages,  and  had  saved 
thirty  thousand  dollars  every  year,  he  would  have  to  live 
six  hundred  years  more  before  his  wealth  would  equal  the 
sum  left  by  Jacob  Nehias.  Rossheim's  annual  income  is 
thirty  million  dollars,  equal  to  the  sum  paid  to  all  the 
crowned  heads  of  New  Israel.  Did  these  men  honestly 
accumulate  these  fortunes?  No,  they  stole  them. 

'  'They  say  to  me,'  said  Chrysostom,  'will  thou  never 


KEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  235 

cease  from  speaking  ill  of  the  rich?  Still  more  anathemas 
against  the  rich!  And  I  answer,  Still  your  hardness 
against  the  poor/  The  wealthy  men  of  those  days,  like 
the  millionaires  of  our  own  age,  replied  to  these  strictures 
of  the  golden-tongued  orator  from  the  shores  of  the  Bos- 
phorus,  The  poor  deserve  their  lot.  They  are  idlers  who 
do  not  even  wish  to  work;  noxious  parasites,  whom  it 
would  be  better  to  do  away  with.  Some  of  them  are  simply 
beggars  who  speculate  on  people's  kindness  of  heart.  No, 
God  does  not  love  the  poor,  for  if  He  loved  them  He 
would  remedy  their  misery/  To  these  animadversions, 
the  excellent  prelate  replied:  'You  say  that  the  poor  do 
not  work,  but  do  you  work  yourselves?  Do  you  not  en 
joy  in  idleness  the  goods  you  have  unjustly  inherited?  Do 
you  not  exhaust  others  with  labor,  while  you  enjoy,  in 
indolence,  the  fruit  of  their  misery?' 

St.  Jerome  says  that  'opulence  is  always  the  result  of 
theft,  if  not  committed  by  the  actual  possessor,  then  by 
his  predecessors. 

"Thus  taught  nearly  all  of  the  Fathers  of  the  early  cen 
turies,  and  the  great  Church  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  purest 
ages  of  its  existence,  was  a  socialistic  government.  Aaron 
Nicholson  has  exposed  his  stupidity  by  speaking  on  a 
question  of  which  he  is  totally  ignorant,  but  on  which  he 
should  be  informed,  for  it  is  a  question  of  ecclesiastical 
history." 

Some  people  say  that  wealth  is  the  incentive  to  exer 
tion;  but  history  contradicts  this  opinion.  It  was  not 
wealth  that  inspired  Leonidas  and  his  three  hundred  Spar 
tan  heroes  to  sacrifice  their  lives  in  the  Pass  of  Thermo 
pylae.  It  was  not  wealth  that  nerved  the  heart  of  Miltiades 
to  hurl  back  the  Persian  hosts  from  the  plains  of  Mara 
thon.  It  was  not  wealth  that  animated  the  Gallic  legions 
at  Tours  to  mow  down  the  swarthy  sons  of  the  desert,  and 
encircle  the  sword  of  Martel  with  a  halo  of  glory.  The 
sword  of  the  Castilian  deep-dyed  the  fertile  plains  of  Anda 
lusia  with  the  blood  of  the  Moor,  tore  down  the  Crescent 
from  the  heights  of  Granada,  and  erected  the  Cross  on  the 
towers  of  the  Alhambra.  But  it  was  not  gold  that  in 
spired  the  conquering  heroes.  Rhodes  shall  live  in  the 
memory  of  all  generations  for  the  magnanimity  of  the 


236  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

valiant  Knights  who  repulsed  the  Ottoman  hosts,  and  the 
name  of  Hunniades  is  eternally  interwoven  with  the  tri 
umph  of  Belgrade.  But  the  heroism  of  the  Christian  sol 
diers  was  not  inspired  by  the  promise  of  wealth. 

It  was  not  wealth  that  encouraged  the  patriotic  peas 
ants  to  meet  and  crush  the  Austrian  legions  in  the  moun 
tain  passes  of  Switzerland,  and  raise  the  flag  of  freedom 
above  the  snow-capped  summits  of  the  Alps.  It  was  not 
wealth  that  consecrated  Busceneth  with  the  blood  of  Wal 
lace  and  hallowed  Bannockburn  with  the  victory  of  Bruce, 
who  drove  the  invader  back  beyond  the  Cheviot  Hills.  It 
was  not  wealth  that  inspired  the  Saxon  earls  to  meet  the 
tyrant  at  Runnymead  and  extort  from  him  the  Magna 
Charta,  the  foundation  of  English  liberty..  It  was  not 
wealth  that  created  the  Maid  of  Orleans,  who  went  forth 
on  her  white  charger,  waving  the  banner  of  France,  to 
defeat  the  leopards  on  the  Loire,  and  place  the  diadem  on 
the  royal  brow.  It  was  not  wealth  that  inspired  Demos 
thenes,  who  electrified  the  statesmen  of  Greece  with  his 
oratory.  It  was  not  wealth  that  created  Petrarch  and 
Tasso,  Milton  and  Shakspeare.  It  was  not  wealth  that  in 
spired  the  brush  of  Raphael  and  the  chisel  of  Angelo. 

Let  us  appeal  to  the  noblest  passion  of  the  heart  to 
stimulate  the  human  race  to  great  and  glorious  feats.  Let 
us  appeal  to  love  and  philanthropy.  Love  was  infused 
into  the  human  soul  with  the  breath  of  God,  and  it  has 
created  every  oasis  in  the  wilderness  of  life.  It  created  the 
martyrs  of  the  Coliseum  and  glorified  the  catacombs  with 
incense  and  song  and  sacrifice.  It  filled  the  desert  with 
the  sighs  and  tears  and  prayers  and  praise  of  the  anchor 
ites.  It  brought  hosts  of  youthful  souls  to  the  somber 
shades  of  the  monastery,  and  buried  hope  and  beauty  in 
the  solitude  of  the  convent.  It  created  an  asylum  amidst 
the  horrors  of  the  Alpine  snows.  It  blessed  the  world 
with  the  angel  of  charity,  who  moved  among  the  dead 
and  dying  on  the  battlefield,  stanched  the  wounds  of  the 
fallen  hero,  and  consoled  his  last  moments  with  words  of 
hope  in  the  reality  of  a  kingdom  beyond  the  empire  of  the 
glittering  stars.  It  sent  missionaries  over  oceans  and 
continents  to  bring  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  to  the 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  237 

wildest  haunts  of  men,  and  enfold  benighted  nations  in 
the  arms  of  God. 

The  ambitions  of  men  are  as  diverse  as  their  charac 
ters.  Solomon  prayed  for  wisdom,  and  considered  it  the 
greatest  blessings  that  man  could  enjoy.  Caesar  would 
have  sacrificed  all  the  wealth  in  the  world  to  be  the  first 
man  in  Rome.  Demosthenes  devoted  his  life  to  the  study 
of  oratory  that  he  might  win  laurels  in  the  councils  of 
Grecian  statesmen.  Alexander  wept  when  he  heard  of 
Philip's  victory,  saying,  "My  father  will  conquer  the  world 
and  leave  nothing  for  me  to  accomplish."  Peter  of  Rus 
sia  toiled  as  an  artisan  in  the  factories  of  Holland  to  ac 
quire  knowledge  that  might  advance  the  interests  of  his 
people.  Alfred  the  Great  lived  in  poverty  and  obscurity 
many  years,  that  he  might  finally  come  forth  from  his  re 
treat  and  liberate  his  country  from  foreign  bondage. 

The  greatest  men  in  the  world  have  braved  poverty, 
that  they  might  leave  the  legacy  of  genius  to  rising  gener 
ations.  Xylander  Tasso,  Ariosto,  Bentivoglio,  Du  Ryer 
Vaugelas,  Racine,  Boileau,  Dryden,  Purchas,  Marquis  of 
Worcester,  Rushworth,  Rymer,  Simon  Ockley,  Edmund 
Spenser,  Cervantes,  Camoens,  Castel,  Milton  and  Gold 
smith,  were  men  who  felt  the  pangs  of  poverty.  Money 
did  not  create  Marco  Polo,  Galileo,  Newton,  Gutenberg, 
Homer,  Virgil,  Dante  and  Petrarch.  But  the  capitalist 
says  that  these  were  merely  a  handful,  and  I  reply  that 
this  handful  have  made  the  brightest  page  in  the  history 
of  the  world. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

"I  see  that  The  Flaming  Sword'  contains  an  account 
of  Moses  Gilhooley's  book,"  remarked  Mr.  Einstein  to 
Abraham  McGillicuddy. 

"Yes,"  replied  the  editor.  "He  promised  the  report  to 
The  Standard,'  but  when  he  became  aware  of  the  fact 
that  his  son  had  been  connected  with  The  Flaming  Sword' 


238  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

he  requested  The  Standard'  to  release  him  from  his  obli 
gation,  which  was  courteously  conceded." 

"Have  you  a  copy  of  the  journal  with  you?"  asked  Mr. 
Einstein. 

"Yes,  but  have  you  not  read  the  account?" 

"No,  I  merely  saw  it  mentioned  this  morning  in  the 
'Herald'  that  this  week's  issue  of  The  Sword'  contained 
the  long  expected  information  of  the  trial  of  Moses  Gil- 
hooley  for  heresy  and  treason  before  the  Kurush  Sanhe 
drim." 

"Well,  here  is  a  copy  of  the  paper.  Take  your  time 
and  read  every  line  of  the  trial.  It  is  a  fit  exemplification 
of  oriental  despotism  and  barbarism." 

Mr.  Einstein  bowed  courteously  and  began  to  read 
the  article,  which  was  given  a  prominent  place  on  the  first 
page,  and  prefaced  with  glaring  headlines. 

"Gilhooley  in  the  Lion's  Den.  Men  must  not  think 
under  the  penalty  of  scorpion's  whips  in  this  world, 
and  eternal  reprobation  in  the  next.  The  Confederate 
chief  finds  a  race  of  people  who  furnish  the  missing  link 
between  man  and  the  ape.  The  Kurushan  is  half  wolf,  half 
bear,  half  man  and  half  alligator,  and  the  four  halves  make 
a  respectable  cross  between  a  chimpanzee  and  a  gibbon,  a 
first  cousin  of  the  gorilla  and  a  step-uncle  of  the  baboon. 

"It  was  the  feast  of  the  transmigration,"  wrote  Gil 
hooley,  "commemorating  their  departure  from  Babylo 
nian  captivity,  that  the  seventy  elders  assembled  in  the 
hall  of  judgment,  to  hear  the  evidence  in  the  case  of  the 
rebellious  foreigner  who  had  dared  to  publish  his  thoughts 
without  the  permission  of  the  official  censor  of  the  empire. 
I  was  brought  from  the  dark  dungeon,  where  I  had  lan 
guished  for  several  weeks,  and  taken  before  the  venerable 
body  distinguished  for  their  long  beards,  flowing  robes 
and  empty  heads. 

"The  first  charge  was  read  by  the  secretary.  'One 
Moses  Gilhooley  from  the  land  of  Toadia  hath  invaded 
our  country,  and  hath  presumed  to  ignore  our  sacred  tra 
ditions  and  doctrines,  by  promulgating  independent  ideas 
which  are  not  found  in  any  of  our  learned  books;  and  the 
said  Gilhooley  rashly  undertook  to  publish  these  ideas 
without  the  consent  of  the  elders  or  the  King  or  the  cen- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACE  OCEAN  239 

sor/  The  chief  of  the  Elders  said:  'Venerable  brethren, 
this  is  an  offense  which  deserves  one  year  in  solitary  con 
finement/  'We  agree  with  you,  Most  Holy  Chief.'  The 
second  charge  was  read:  The  said  Gilhooley  predicted 
the  end  of  the  world,  and  has  vainly  attempted  to  sub 
stantiate  his  opinion  by  quotations  from  Christian  writers.' 
'How  dare  you  express  such  thoughts  when  you  should 
have  known  that  the  Sanhedrim  has  long  ago  decided  that 
the  empire  of  Kurush  shall  be  eternal?  For  this  offense 
you  shall  be  led  by  a  halter  through  the  market  square  on 
the  Sabbath  day,  when  the  multitude  shall  be  assembled 
to  behold  your  humiliation.  What  is  the  next  charge?' 
'We  find  in  his  book  the  statement  that  Christianity  reign 
ed  amidst  the  altars  of  Judaism,  as  if  Judaism  had  any 
altars.  We  regard  this  as  the  recognition  of  the  divinity 
of  the  Jewish  religion.'  'Do  you  not  know,'  said  the  Chief, 
'that  all  divine  blessings  were  withdrawn  from  Judah,  and 
given  to  Israel  at  the  time  of  the  separation  of  the  two 
kingdoms?  God  accepts  the  sacrifice  of  no  other  people 
but  the  Hebrew  nation.' 

"  'But  in  that  expression  I  simply  employed  a  figure  of 
rhetoric,'  I  said  in  my  justification.  'Yes,  and  for  your 
impertinence  we  shall  imprint  a  few  figures  on  your  naked 
back  with  the  sting  of  the  whip.  Figures  of  rhetoric,  in 
deed!  Who  authorized  you  to  employ  figures?  The  next 
charge?'  'He  claims  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is  not  yet 
perfect  in  its  organization.'  Here  I  interposed  to  explain 
my  meaning,  but  was  immediately  silenced  by  the  Chief, 
who  added  another  year  to  my  punishment,  and  his  breth 
ren  all  exclaimed,  'Amen.'  'The  next  charge?'  said  the 
Chief.  'He  said  that  the  most  erudite  Scriptural  scholars 
of  the  first  ages  of  Christianity  'believed  in  the  ultimate 
restoration  of  God's  supremacy  in  the  human  heart.'  'One 
year  in  solitary  confinement.' 

''He  claims  that  there  are  many  forms  of  religion, 
and,  therefore,  indirectly  denies  the  exclusive  right  of  the 
Hebrew  faith  to  the  allegiance  of  all  mankind.'  'I  do  not 
intend  to  admit  the  divine  origin  of  sectarian  denomina 
tions,'  I  said,  'but  merely  spoke  of  them  as  heretical  scions 
of  the  true  Church.' 

'  'We  cannot  accept  your  apology,  Mr.  Gilhooley/ 


240  BEYOND  THE   BLACK   OCEAN 

said  the  Chief.  'You  shall  get  two  years  imprisonment  for 
your  temerity/  And  the  Elders  confirmed  the  sentence 
by  saying,  'Amen!' 

"  'He  has  taught  that  there  should  be  no  union  be 
tween  Church  and  State.'  'One  year's  imprisonment/ 
'Amen,'  said  the  Elders.  'Next  charge?' 

"  'In  times  past  there  were  vices  among  the  Rabbis  and 
the  faithful,  and  many  abuses  were  permitted  by  the  Syna 
gogue,  resulting  in  a  large  measure  from  the  union  of  ec 
clesiastical  and  secular  power/  'Two  years'  imprison 
ment/  'Amen/  said  the  Elders.  'Next  charge?'  said  the 
Chief. 

"  'He  has  quoted  the  works  of  Luke  Halheim,  the 
Simeonitic  atheist,  who  says  that  the  rebellion  of  the  Is- 
raelitic  sects  against  the  Hebrew  faith  called  the  attention 
of  the  Elders  to  the  depraved  condition  of  morality,  and 
thus  the  ancient  creed  was  purified  and  renovated/  'It  is 
impossible  to  purify  the  work  of  God  which  is  essentially 
perfect.  One  year  on  bread  and  water/  'Amen!'  ex 
claimed  the  court.  'Next  charge?'  said  the  Chief. 

"  'In  distant  centuries,  when  education  was  limited  and 
ignorance  and  superstition  were  prevalent,  many  Hebrew 
writers  were  intolerant/  'Five  years  in  the  chain-gang!' 
'Amen !'  'Read  on !'  said  the  Chief. 

"  'People  educated  in  the  national  creed  and  unac 
quainted  with  other  denominations,  think  that  there  is  no 
salvation  beyond  the  pale  of  the  Synagogue/ 

'  'I  presume,  then,  Mr.  Gilhooley/  said  the  Chief, 
'that  if  these  people  were  familiar  with  the  sects,  they 
would  see  that  salvation  is  not  confined  to  the  adherents 
of  that  venerable  institution  hallowed  by  the  visions  of  the 
prophets?' 

'  'No,  Rabbi,  that  is  not  my  meaning.  I  merely  in 
tended  to  assert  that  God  will  pardon  the  crime  of  those  in 
a  state  of  invincible  ignorance,  and  when  the  children  of 
the  divine  creed  comprehend  the  possibility  of  honest  er 
ror,  they  are  willing  to  admit  the  sincerity  of  dissentients, 
and  do  not  persecute  them  for  wilful  malice  or  perversity/ 

"  'The  heretic  cannot  plead  invincible  ignorance  in 
palliation  of  his  crimes,  for  God  gives  His  light  to  all.  But 
the  children  of  wrath  close  their  eyes  to  the  divine  efful- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  241 

gence,  and  they  must  be  whipped  into  submission;  and  by 
means  of  the  lash  we  shall  convince  you  of  the  ways  of 
truth  and  justice.  One  hundred  stripes  with  the  knout/ 
'Amen!'  'Read  on/  said  the  Chief. 

"  'Intolerance  has  been  practiced  in  every  part  of  the 
world;  but  we  must  not  condemn  religion  for  the  crimes 
of  its  adherents.  God  never  taught  persecution.  Bigotry 
is  the  child  of  ignorance,  and  when  the  nations  are  more 
enlightened,  all  people  will  dwell  together  in  love  and  har 
mony.'  'Holy  Moses!'  cried  the  Elders,  'do  you  hear  that 
blasphemy?  Can  God  and  Satan  inhabit  the  same  land? 
It  was  no  wonder  our  army  was  defeated  at  Killuk  by  the 
Karmites,  for  God  wished  to  punish  us  for  harboring  a  son 
of  Belial  in  our  realm.  What  sayst  thou,  O  most  holy  and 
renowned  Chief?' 

"  'Five  years  more  in  the  chain-gang,  with  a  monthly 
administration  of  the  knout,  not  exceeding  forty  lashes 
each  time/ 

'  'Hail  glorious  Chief!  Thou  art  the  defender  of  our 
ancient  creed,  consecrated  by  the  breath  of  ages,  hallowed 
by  the  reverence  of  one  hundred  generations.' 

'  'Read  the  next  charge,'  said  the  High  Priest. 

'  The  synagogue  consists  of  a  human  and  divine  ele 
ment/ 

"Hearest  thou  the  blasphemy,  thou  spawn  of  hell! 
thou  Christian  dog!  thou  viper  who  has  poisoned  the  at 
mosphere  of  Kurush  with  thy  iniquities?  What  sayest 
thou  to  this  charge?' 

"I  replied  that  I  accepted  the  divine  institution  of  re 
ligion,  'but  God  had  chosen  men  as  His  ministers,  and  in 
that  respect  the  synagogue  has  a  human  character/ 

'Thou  infamous  wretch!  God  lives  in  the  syna 
gogue,  and  the  Holy  of  Holies  is  sanctified  'by  the  shadow 
of  the  Most  High,  and  guarded  by  the  wings  of  angels.  For 
.this  offense  you  shall  be  sent  for  five  years  to  the  frozen 
streams  of  Rebia,  where  your  naked  back  shall  be  kept 
warm  by  the  scourge  of  the  warden.  Next  charge/ 

"  'The  Israelitic  denominations  have  begotten  some  of 
the  brightest  minds  in  history/ 

"  'Five  years  of  penal  servitude.    Next  charge/ 


242  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

'  'Israelism  and  Hebrewism  have  vied  with  each  other 
in  every  department  of  lore/ 

"  'Israelism  is  the  school  of  demoniacal  erudition.  Five 
years  more  in  the  chain-gang.  Next  charge.' 

The  Bible  should  not  be  taught  in  the  national 
schools.' 

'  'Five  years  more  in  the  chain-gang.    Next  charge.' 

'  'The  king  should  not  interfere  with  ecclesiastical  ap 
pointments,  and  the  laity  should  be  allowed  to  elect  their 
Rabbis.' 

:'  'Five  years  more  in  the  chain-gang/ 

'  'Hebrewism  is  the  oldest  form  of  religion/ 

"  'It  is  the  only  form  of  religion,'  said  the  Chief.  'One 
year  more  for  that  offense,'  and  to  that  sentence  the  Elders 
said,  'Amen!' 

"  'Next  charge?'  asked  the  Chief. 

"  'The  Rabbis  should  be  less  avaricious,  less  luxurious, 
and  more  zealous  for  the  salvation  of  souls/ 

:'  'O  ye  holy  prophets!'  exclaimed  the  Chief.  'Ye  an 
gels  of  God,  who  look  down  from  your  starry  thrones 
upon  the  children  of  men,  why  do  ye  not  show  your  dis 
pleasure  with  this  reprobate  by  cutting  off  the  hand  that 
penned  that  blasphemy!  Why  do  ye  not  pour  out  the 
wrath  of  heaven  on  this  guilty  soul,  as  the  fire  of  ven 
geance  once  consumed  the  iniquities  of  Sodom  and  Go 
morrah!  How  long,  O  Lord,  how  long  shall  our  patience 
be  abused!  Thou  hast  called  us  to  the  sanctuary,  and 
Holy  of  Holies,  Thou  hast  chosen  us,  the  sons  of  Levi, 
among  all  the  tribes  of  Israel,  and  all  the  nations  of  the 
earth.  Thou  didst  come  down  from  heaven  to  give  us 
orders  how  to  make  sacerdotal  robes,  and  the  sacred  ves 
sels.  Thou  ever  watchest  over  us  during  the  light  of  day 
and  the  silent  somber  depths  of  the  night;  Thy  angels 
ever  cast  the  shadow  of  their  wings  upon  us,  and  the  glory 
of  Thy  countenance  ever  beams  upon  our  way,  and  leads 
us  into  the  path  of  truth  and  justice.  Our  words  are 
formed  by  Thy  holy  inspiration,  and  our  acts  are  ordained 
by  the  fiats  of  heaven.  Hear,  O  God,  the  blasphemer  who 
comes  from  a  foreign  land  to  inveigh  against  our  sanctity 
and  our  authority.  Wilt  Thou  not  wave  the  sword  of 
vengeance  against  his  guilty  head?  Wilt  Thou,  O  Lord, 


SEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  243 

not  show  Thy  power  by  opening  the  earth  and  swallow 
ing  this  wretch  down  to  hell  as  Thou  didst  punish  Core, 
Dathan  and  Abiron?  If  Thou  wilt  not,  then  it  is  a  sign 
that  Thou  leavest  Thy  judgment  to  the  venerable  Elders 
of  the  Sanhedrim.  Gilhooley  shall  be  tied  to  the  portals 
of  the  synagogue  from  sunrise  to  sunset  on  the  following 
Sabbath,  and  the  crime  shall  be  published  from  every 
housetop,  and  every  faithful  child  of  Abraham  shall  be  re 
quested  to  use  the  lash  on  the  culprit,  according  to  the 
measure  of  his  deserts?  Next  charge?' 

"  'He  has  criticized  the  morality  of  all  nations,  and 
made  no  exception  of  the  people  of  Kurush.' 

'  'One  year  more  in  the  chain-gang.    Next  charge?' 

"  'He  has  advocated  Socialism.' 
:  Ten  years  more  in  the  chain-gang.    Next  charge?' 

"  'He  has  expressed  his  belief  in  the  doctrine  of  evolu 
tion.' 

"'Evolution?  My  God!  kill  the  wretch!'  exclaimed 
the  Elders.'  'No,'  said  the  Chief,  'give  him  a  slow  death 
in  the  penal  colony.  Ten  years  more  in  the  chain-gang. 
Next  charge?' 

'  That  is  all,  most  holy  Chief!' 

"'Is  that  all?  Well,  that  is  enough  to  damn  a  regi 
ment  of  soldiers.  Read  the  sentence  to  the  council.'  The 
secretary  said:  'Most  exalted  Ruler  of  the  Hebrew  faith, 
and  sublime  and  holy  Chief  of  the  Synagogue,  I  find  that 
the  verdict  passed  by  your  Highness,  with  the  consent  of 
the  Sanhedrim,  and  the  authority  of  the  Royal  Monarch, 
is  sixty-five  years  of  penal  servitude,  besides  various 
scourgings  at  various  times  and  places.' 

"Then  the  Chief  arose  and  addressed  the  council. 
'Venerable  brethren,  as  this  obscure  wretch  will  not  live 
sixty-five  years,  we  will  make  his  sentence  a  life  term  in 
the  chain-gang,  and  give  the  warden  strict  orders  to 
scourge  him  well  and  frequently.'  The  Elders  cried 
'Amen!' 

The  trial  being  completed,  I  was  taken  back  to  the 
dreary  dungeon,  and  the  next  day  was  chained  to  a  fellow 
convict,  and  started  on  my  pilgrimage  to  the  penal 
colony." 


244  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

On  the  20th  of  April,  1862,  "The  Flaming  Sword" 
contained  a  lengthy  discussion  on  the  principles  of  free 
dom  in  the  government  of  nations. 

Man  is  endowed  with  will,  memory  and  understand 
ing.  This  triple  power  renders  him  akin  to  the  divine 
spark,  and  adorns  him  with  the  blessed  gift  of  immortal 
ity.  Animate  nature  is  governed  by  immutable  laws,  in 
virtue  of  which  the  globes*  roll  on  in  their  orbits  age  after 
age,  and  there  is  not  one  discordant  movement  in  "the 
eternal  dances  of  the  skies."  Irrational  creation  is  ruled 
by  instinct,  which  enables  the  thoughtless  beast  to  pro 
vide  for  his  necessities  and  prolong  his  existence.  'But 
man  is  master  of  his  actions,  and  can  choose  between  good 
and  evil.  God  promulgated  his  revelations  and  gave  man 
the  power  of  accepting  or  rejecting  his  laws,  with  the 
promise  of  eternal  bliss  or  everlasting  woe. 

In  the  savage  state  man  obeyed  the  laws  of  nature,  and 
his  actions  were  not  trammeled  by  positive  enactments. 
Everybody  was  his  own  defender.  In  organized  society, 
the  individual  relinquishes  some  of  his  rights  for  the  ac 
quisition  of  others.  The  government  affords  him  protec 
tion,  and  in  compensation  for  this  benefit,  the  individual 
gives  his  allegiance  and  support  to  the  government. 

That  is  the  best  form  of  government  which  gives  its 
members  the  greatest  liberty  and  the  greatest  security. 
Since  society  is  an  aggregation  of  individuals,  it  follows 
that  government  cannot  have  any  power  not  possessed 
collectively  by  its  members.  Therefore  the  authority  of 
law  comes  from  the  will  of  the  people.  A  despotism  is  a 
form  of  government,  in  which  the  ruler  acquires  his  power 
from  conquest,  inheritance  or  some  other  way  than 
through  the  will  of  the  people  governed.  A  republican 
form  of  government  is  one  in  which  the  people  make  laws 
through  their  representatives.  A  Socialistic  form  of  gov- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  24$ 

ernment  is  one  in  which  the  people  make  their  laws  di 
rectly. 

It  is  only  when  the  people  suffer  from  the  loss  of  their 
rights  that  they  rebel  against  the  usurper  and  demand 
legislative  amelioration.  In  the  history  of  the  world  we 
have  many  examples  of  tyranny,  and  the  people,  goaded 
to  desperation  by  oppressive  measures,  have  wielded  the 
power  which  nature  gave  them,  and  driven  the  despot 
from  his  throne.  But  it  was  not  long  before  the  new  sov 
ereign,  feeling  the  independence  of  his  position,  followed 
the  example  of  the  dethroned  monarch,  and  became  a 
despot  of  the  deepest  dye.  Then,  after  centuries  of  mis 
rule,  the  people  endeavored  to  correct  the  evils  by  chang 
ing  the  system,  and  thus  was  instituted  the  representative 
government.  Our  fathers  threw  off  the  Danish  yoke,  and 
erected  the  temple  of  republican  freedom,  and  enthroned 
the  goddess  of  liberty.  They  thought  they  had'  achieved 
the  grandest  victory  in  the  history  of  the  world.  But  time 
has  revealed  the  vanity  of  their  dreams. 

We  have  not  emancipated  ourselves  from  the  power  of 
despotism,  but  have  simply  asserted  the  right  to  choose 
our  masters.  If  our  ruler  is  unjust,  we  can  dethrone  him 
at  the  expiration  of  his  term,  and  elect  another  in  his  stead, 
who  is  independent  the  moment  we  clothe  him  with  legis 
lative  authority.  We  have  the  right  to  elect  the  members 
of  Congress,  but  the  State  Legislature  reserves  the  power 
of  electing  the  members  of  the  national  Senate.  The  peo 
ple  are  supposed  to  be  too  ignorant  to  cast  their  votes  in 
the  election  of  those  who  fill  the  Upper  House,  but  at  the 
same  time  their  intelligence  is  supposed  to  be  sufficient 
to  reveal  their  deficiency. 

Again,  the  voters  do  not  elect  the  President,  but 
merely  the  electoral  college.  But  the  majority  of  electors 
does  not  represent  the  majority  of  voters,  and  we  have 
several  cases  in  the  history  of  Toadia  where  those  polling 
a  much  larger  popular  vote  were  defeated  in  the  electoral 
vote.  The  fathers  of  the  Republic  never  dreamed  of  giv 
ing  complete  control  of  the  nation  to  the  people.  The 
foundation  of  our  government  was  a  compromise  between 
the  growing  sentiment  of  freedom,  which  created  the 
revolution,  and  the  monarchical  idea  of  New  Israel,  whose 


246  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

authority  and  institutions  we  had  disowned.  Political 
parties  in  the  empire  of  Toadia  was  the  development  on 
the  part  of  the  people  to  have  direct  control  of  national 
as  well  as  state  legislation.  Each  party  framed  a  plat 
form,  and  by  voting  for  that  party  the  people  thought 
that  they  were  emphasizing  their  voice  on  the  measures 
adopted  in  that  platform.  The  history  of  this  country  has 
clearly  proved  that  we  cannot  rely  on  the  fidelity  of  the 
promises  made  by  the  party  in  its  campaign  for  national 
supremacy  in  governmental  affairs. 

I  will  offer  a  few  illustrations  of  political  infidelity  and 
prostitution.  The  Congress  of  1848  was  elected  on  the 
issue  of  restoring  the  coinage  of  silver  according  to  the 
basis  existing  previously  to  the  year  1834;  and  instead  of 
keeping  its  vow,  it  enacted  the  Blondmeyer  Bill,  providing 
for  a  more  extensive  circulation  of  the  white  metal.  The 
Congress  of  1852  was  elected  on  the  promise  of  remone- 
tization  of  silver,  and  it  refused  to  discharge  its  obliga 
tions  to  the  public,  and  passed  the  Simon  Compromise 
Bill.  The  Congress  of  1854  was  elected  on  the  issue  of  the 
unlimited  coinage  of  silver,  and  when  once  it  was  in  power 
it  was  bribed  by  the  money  kings  and  repealed  the  only 
clause  that  favored  the  wishes  of  the  people.  This  same 
Congress  was  elected  on  the  platform  declaring  tariff  a 
robbery,  and  pledging  its  service  to  demolish  the  wall  of 
protection  which  had  been  created  to  despoil  the  many 
for  the  aggrandizement  of  the  few,  and  as  soon  as  the  ses 
sion  opened  the  members  sent  for  the  representatives  of 
the  largest  manufacturing  establishments  in  Toadia,  and 
asked  them  how  much  protection  they  wanted. 

What  is  the  cause  of  the  failure  to  secure  kgislation 
in  harmony  with  the  platform  upon  which  the  members  of 
Congress  are  elected,  when  it  is  in  the  power  of  that  Con 
gress  to  grant  the  relief  promised  in  the  convention  and 
the  campaign  ?  The  cause  is  easily  sought.  When  a  mem 
ber  of  Congress  is  elected,  his  constituency  has  no  fur 
ther  power  over  his  actions  in  public  affairs.  The  agents 
of  the  railroads,  the  manufacturers,  and  other  vast  cor 
porations,  are  deputed  to  take  their  place  in  the  lobby  of 
the  national  capitol,  and  secure  the  passage  of  laws  that 
will  advance  their  interests.  What  is  a  million  of  dollars 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  247 

to  a  gigantic  enterprise  that  realizes  an  annual  profit  of 
a  hundred  million  ?  Yet  this  million  is  a  potent  agency  in 
the  halls  of  Congress.  The  emissary  approaches  the  pub 
lic  functionary  and  offers  him  ten  thousand  dollars  for  his 
vote.  The  official  will  look  at  the  money  and  the  possi 
bility  of  re-election,  and  he  will  thus  soliloquize :  "I  may 
be  elected,  even  if  I  take  this  bribe,  and  I  may  not  be 
elected  if  I  refuse ;  but  in  any  case  one  bird  in  the  hand  is 
worth  two  in  the  bush ;"  and  thus  he  sacrifices  the  inter 
ests  of  his  constituency  on  the  altar  of  Mammon. 

The  best  way  to  make  a  man  honest  is  to  remove  temp 
tation  from  his  path.  If  there  were  no  one  to  offer  the 
bribe,  there  would  be  no  one  to  accept  it,  and  when  the 
nation  has  direct  control  of  legislation,  it  will  be  impossi 
ble  to  bribe  the  voters,  for  their  number  is  so  great  that 
no  corporation  could  afford  to  buy  them;  and,  besides, 
each  one  is  looking  for  his  individual  interest,  and  will 
not  sell  his  vote  unless  he  can  get  as  much  for  it  as  the 
advantages  that  would  accrue  to  him  from  the  passage 
of  the  law  which  he  advocates.  Again,  with  our  secret 
ballot,  the  voter  can  take  the  bribe,  and  yet  be  at  freedom 
when  the  question  is  submitted  to  the  public.  Some  one 
may  say,  in  answer  to  this  statement,  that  no  honorable 
man  would  refuse  to  vote  according  to  the  will  of  the 
person  who  had  purchased  his  vote.  I  reply  to  this  ob 
servation  that  no  honorable  man  would  sell  his  vote,  and, 
when  we  are  dealing  with  dishonorable  men,  we  must 
judge  of  their  actions  in  certain  cases,  not  according  to 
the  standard  of  moral  rectitude,  but  we  must  presume 
that  they  will  disregard  the  dictates  of  conscience,  and 
frame  their  conduct  in  harmony  with  their  personal  in 
terests. 

In  an  infant  nation,  or  in  a  country  of  limited  dimen 
sions  and  a  small  population,  the  interests  of  the  people 
do  not  involve  great  and  diverse  problems  ;  and  the  voters 
usually  find  their  opinions  embodied  in  the  platform  of 
one  of  the  political  parties.  When  there  is  only  one  ques 
tion,  each  party  will  either  espouse  the  affirmative  or  neg 
ative  side  of  this  question;  and  the  people  can  express 
their  opinion  by  voting  for  the  party  which  defends  their 
views,  and  if  the  representatives  are  faithful  in  the  dis- 


248  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

charge  of  their  obligations,  there  will  be  no  difficulty.  We 
will  presume,  for  the  sake  of  illustration,  that  the  Liberals 
declare  in  favor  of  free  trade,  and  the  Protectionists  for 
high  tariff.  At  the  polls  the  voters,  in  favor  of  free  trade, 
would  vote  for  the  party  which  advocates  free  trade ;  and 
those  in  favor  of  tariff  would  vote  for  the  party  advocating 
tariff.  The  party  elected  would  signify  the  passage  of 
the  law  advocated  in  the  platform. 

In  a  highly  developed  state,  and  in  a  nation  of  vast 
magnitude  in  the  number  of  its  people,  and  the  extent  of 
its  dominions,  the  diversity  of  interests  will  call  for  the  de 
cision  of  many  questions,  and  a  complication  of  interests 
will  arise.  Let  us  presume  that  there  are  four  measures 
presented  to  the  public — A,  B,  C  and  D.  Party  number 
one  advocates  all  these  measures  and  Party  number  two 
opposes  all  of  these.  Voter  number  one  advocates  all 
these  measures  and  he  can  express  his  opinion  by  voting 
for  Party  number  one.  Voter  number  two  antagonizes  all 
these  measures,  and  he  can  voice  his  views  by  voting  for 
Party  number  two.  Voter  number  three  favors  the  first 
proposition,  and  opposes  the  other  three.  He  cannot  ex 
press  his  opinion  at  the  polls,  for  he  must  vote  for  three 
measures  which  he  does  not  espouse,  to  secure  the  one  he 
advocates.  Voter  number  four  favors  the  first  two  prop 
ositions  and  opposes  the  last  two.  Thus  it  is  easily  seen 
that  the  voters  can  not  always  express  their  opinion  on 
all  the  questions  embodied  in  the  platform  of  the  party. 

Moreover,  a  little  reflection  will  readily  convince  the  in 
telligent  reader  that  a  measure  may  often  become  a  law 
against  the  will  of  the  majority.  We  will  suppose  that 
Party  number  one  stands  for  free  trade,  free  silver  and 
prohibition,  and  Party  number  two  for  the  gold  stand 
ard,  protective  tariff  and  high  license.  A,  B  and  C  favors 
free  silver ;  B,  C  and  D  favor  free  trade ;  D,  C  and  A  favor 
prohibition ;  D  alune  favors  gold  standard  and  A  alone 
favors  protective  tariff;  B  alone  favors  license.  A  votes 
Tor  Party  number  two,  because  he  regards  protection  a 
necessity  for  the  development  of  most  of  our  industries, 
and  he  is  willing  to  sacrifice  free  silver  and  prohibition  to 
accomplish  this.  B  votes  for  Party  number  two,  because 
he  regards  high  license  the  remedy  for  drunkenness,  and 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  249 

he  is  willing  to  sacrifice  free  trade  and  free  silver  for  this 
purpose;  D  will  vote  for  Party  number  two,  because  he 
believes  the  gold  standard  is  the  only  safe  financial  basis, 
and  he  will  relinquish  all  other  questions  for  this.  Party 
number  one  will  be  defeated  by  a  vote  of  three  to  one, 
though  each  question  embodied  in  its  platform  was  fa 
vored  by  three-fourths  of  all  the  voters. 

The  representative  system  does  not  provide  for  a  gov 
ernment  by  the  people,  and  the  delegation  of  power  to  a 
few  legislators  is  the  source  of  political  corruption-;  and 
thus  the  interests  of  the  people  are  sacrificed  for  personal 
advantages  offered  to  their  lawmakers.  These  evils  are 
avoided  in  a  Socialistic  government  where  people  legislate 
for  themselves.  Self-interest  will  inspire  every  man  with 
a  sense  of  duty,  and  thus  corruption  will  b,e  entirely  re 
moved  from  the  arena  of  politics.  The  people  would  have 
an  opportunity  to  vote  directly  on  every  question  without 
being  hampered  by  party  platforms  and  political  affilia 
tions. 

But  how  can  direct  legislation  by  the  people  be  accom 
plished  ?  There  need  be  no  radical  change  in  our  legisla 
tive  system.  The  officials  will  be  nominated  and  elected 
as  they  are  at  present,  with  the  single  exception  that  every 
candidate  may  enter  the  field  without  the  sanction  of  party 
conventions.  But  when  officials  are  elected  they  are  not 
endowed  with  unlimited  authority,  but  are  subject  to  the 
voice  of  the  people  by  the  employment  of  the  Initiative 
and  Referendum.  In  some  states  of  Toadia,  and,  also,  in 
other  parts  of  the  world,  when  the  legislature  fails  to 
enact  the  laws  desired  by  a  number  of  the  people,  the  lat 
ter  can  submit  a  petition  signed  by  a  certain  percentage 
of  the  voters,  and  the  legislature  is  compelled,  in  virtue  of 
this  demand,  to  pass  the  law  desired.  This  is  called  the 
Initiative,  because  the  people  take  the  initiative  step  in 
legislation.  But  this  enactment  cannot  have  the  force  of 
a  law  until  it  is  submitted  to  the  people  at  the  general 
election,  and  only  becomes  a  law  when  adopted  by  the 
majority  of  the  qualified  voters. 

Under  direct  legislation,  the  legislature  proceeds'  to 
pass  laws  in  conformity  with  the  will  of  the  people  so  far 
as  that  can  be  ascertained.  It  may  often  happen  that  a 


250  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

measure  is  supposed  to  have  the  approval  of  the  majority, 
when  it  is  desired  by  only  a  small  minority.  The  law  is 
not  immediately  promulgated,  but  a  period  of  about  sixty 
days  is  given  to  the  people  to  protest  against  the  enact 
ment.  During  this  period  the  enactment  is  published  sev 
eral  times  in  all  the  daily  and  weekly  papers,  and  the  pro 
visions  are  fully  explained.  In  the  meantime,  a  petition 
signed  by  a  certain  percentage  of  the  people,  demanding 
a  popular  vote  on  the  question,  is  presented  to  the  legisla 
tive  body;  the  law  is  at  once  suspended  in  its  operations 
until  it  is  referred  to  the  will  of  the  voters  at  the  next  gen 
eral  election.  If  there  is  no  petition  presented  within  the 
specified  time,  the  law  goes  into  effect.  This  is  called  the 
Referendum,  because  the  enactment  is  referred  to  the 
judgment  of  the  people  at  the  polls. 

Within  the  time  elapsing  between  the  election,  several 
questions  may  have  been  submitted  to  the  legislature,  and 
these  are  written  on  a  separate  ballot,  and  the  people  vote 
directly  on  these  measures.  The  questions  agitated  by  the 
various  political  parties  could  be  determined  by  popular 
vote  at  the  election  of  the  candidates,  and  this  would  fa 
cilitate  legislative  affairs.  We  will  presume  that  the  Lib 
erals  adopt  free  silver,  free  trade  and  anti-imperialism; 
the  Protectionists,  the  gold  standard,  high  tariff  and  im 
perialism  ;  the  Single  Tax  party  adopts  the  land  tax,  and 
the  Socialists  advocate  government  ownership  of  trusts. 
According  to  our  present  system,  the  gold  standard  ad 
vocate  might  favor  government  ownership  of  the  trusts, 
but  he  must  sacrifice  the  one  to  get  the  other,  as  each  ques 
tion  is  supported  by  a  different  party,  and  what  is  advo 
cated  by  the  Protectionists  is  repudiated  by  the  Socialists. 
I  could  give  many  other  illustrations,  but  this  is  sufficient 
for  our  purpose.  Under  direct  legislation,  the  names  of 
the  parties  and  their  candidates  would  be  written  on  one 
ballot,  and  the  measures  contemplated  by  the  various  par 
ties  would  be  contained  on  a  distinct  ballot,  and  the  voter 
could  write  yes  or  no  after  each  measure,  or  he  could 
make  a  cross  after  the  measure  which  he  advocates,  and 
the  absence  of  this  sign  would  indicate  his  repudiation  of 
the  other  measures.  The  ballot  would  be  made  in  this 
fashion : 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  2$I 

Do  you  vote  for : 

Free  Silver  ?    X 

Gold  Standard? 

Government  ownership  of  trusts? 

Single  Tax  ?    X 

Imperialism? 

Anti-imperialism?    X 

High  Tariff? 

Free  Trade? 

Here  are  eight  questions,  and  the  cross  indicates  that  the 
voter  advocates  Free  Silver,  Single  Tax  and  Anti-im 
perialism,  and  consequently  opposes  all  the  other  ques 
tions  on  the  ballot.  The  election  being  over,  the  candi 
dates  having  the  largest  popular  vote  will  hold  the  offices 
to  which  they  aspired,  and  the  questions  favored  by  the 
majority  of  people  at  the  polls  will  become  laws  imme 
diately  on  the  opening  of  the  next  session  of  the  legisla 
ture.  The  office  of  the  legislators  will  merely  consist  in 
flaming  these  laws,  and  passing  others  which  may  seem 
of  general  interest  to  the  commonwealth,  but  their  power 
shall  be  limited  at  all  times  by  the  Initiative  and  Refer 
endum." 

The  question  of  direct  legislation,  as  advanced  by  "The 
Flaming  Sword,"  seems  to  be  the  key  for  the  solution  of 
political  questions.  This  system,  has  long  existed  in  Swit 
zerland,  and  the  results  have  been  very  successful.  It  has 
also  been  introduced  into  some  parts  of  France  in  spite 
of  the  laws  and  constitution.  The  municipal  law  of  1884, 
which  gave  a  third  of  the  citizens  a  right  to  demand  an  in 
quest,  was  easily  extended  by  the  municipalities  when 
doubtful  matters  arose.  The  citizens  of  Paris  have  been 
so  consulted  on  two  occasions :  In  1892  on  the  meeting 
with  the  gas  company;  in  1895  on  the  construction  of  the 
Metropolitain. 

In  Belgium,  Mr.  Beernhaert  has  asked  for  the  consti 
tutional  Referendum.  In  England,  Sir  William  Harcourt 
has  demanded  local  option.  In  Italy  a  whole  party  has 
adopted  and  works  for  the  municipal  Referendum ;  to 
some  extent  workingmen's'  organizations  vote  on  strikes 
and  retaliation.  This  has  been  seen  at  Arras  and  Lens  in 
October,  1894;  in  Bordeaux  in  1892,  on  the  ei^ht-hour 


252  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCFAN 

question ;  at  Amiens,  in  the  Borinage,  in  September,  1893, 
and  in  the  county  of  Durham,  in  England,  during  the 
same  period. 

The  Initiative  and  the  Referendum  have  been  adopted 
in  the  State  of  South  Dakota  since  February  27,  1899. 
According  to  the  provisions  of  that  law  a  petition  signed 
by  five  per  cent  of  the  electors  shall  be  accepted  by  the  leg 
islature,  and  that  body  shall  be  authorized  to  pass  the 
enactment  contained  in  the  petition,  which  shall  be  sub 
mitted  to  the  vote  of  the  electors  of  the  State  at  the  next 
general  election.  "If  the  majority  of  all  the  votes  cast 
both  for  and  against  the  measure  so  enacted  and  submit 
ted  be  for  the  measure,  it  shall  become  a  law  of  the  State 
of  South  Dakota,  and  shall  go  into  effect  and  be  in  force 
immediately  after  the  results  shall  have  been  determined 
by  the  officers  authorized  by  the  law  to  determine  the 
same.  Any  law  which  the  legislature  may  have  enacted, 
except  laws  which  may  be  necessary  for  the  immediate 
preservation  of  the  public  peace,  health  and  safety,  sup 
port  to  the  state  government  and  its  existing  institutions, 
shall,  upon  the  filing  of  a  petition,  as  hereinafter  provided, 
be  submitted  to  a  vote  of  the  electors  of  the  State  at  the 
next  general  election.  Said  petition  shall  be  signed  by 
not  less  than  five  per  cent  of  the  qualified  electors  of  the 
State." 

•  Direct  legislation  has  been  adopted  by  the  State  of 
Oregon.  Not  more  than  eight  per  cent  of  the  legal  voters 
is  sufficient  to  force  the  passage  of  any  measure  by  the 
legislature,  which  is  then  submitted  to  the  people  at  the 
next  general  election.  "Initiative  petitions  shall  be  filed 
with  the  Secretary  of  the  State  not  less  than  four  months 
before  the  election  at  which  they  are  to  be  voted  on."  A 
petition  signed  by  five  per  cent  of  the  voters  may  demand 
the  Referendum,  which  shall  be  filed  with  the  Secretary 
of  State  not  more  than  ninety  days  after  the  adjournment 
of  the  legislature  which  passed  the  said  bill. 

Direct  legislation  has  been  employed  in  the  towns  of 
New  England,  and  efforts  have  been  made  to  introduce 
the  system  into  the  States  of  Maryland,  Pennsylvania, 
Colorado,  Missouri,  Iowa,  North  Dakota,  Michigan,  Ok- 


BEYONK  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  253 

lahoma,  California,  Utah  and  some  other  States,  and  sev 
eral  cities. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

"Good  morning,  Mr.  Lohman.  Come  in  and  take  a 
seat." 

"Thank  you,  Mac.  I  see  you  are  smoking  a  fine  ci 
gar?" 

"Yes,  this  is  an  Ammonite.  Try  one.  It  is  not  often 
now  that  we  get  the  pure  stuff,  since  the  Toadian  govern 
ment  has  plundered  the  island." 

"That  is  true,  Mac.  The  war  against  Reuben  was  a 
humbug,  waged  for  game,  as  you  once  wrote  in  'The 
Flaming  Sword.'  " 

"Gil  and  I  always  regarded  the  affair  a  political  move 
ment  to  advance  the  interests  of  a  certain  class,  and  I  think 
that  time  has  proved  the  truth  of  our  statement.  What  ad 
vantages  have  the  Ammonites  derived  from  our  rule? 
They  are  daily  robbed  of  their  rights,  and  their  liberties 
are  ignored.  They  were  in  a  far  better  condition  under 
the  Reubenic  flag." 

"I  see  that  Mrs.  Reisan  has  returned  to  Deboreh." 

"Is  that  so?    When  did  she  return?" 

"Last  Thursday,"  said  Lohman. 

"And  where  is  Reisan?" 

"I  don't  know.  He  has  never  been  seen  since  he  left 
Deboreh.  People  say  that  he  got  a  divorce  to  let  his  wife 
marry  Jesse." 

"Lohman,  do  you  believe  that  Jesse  married  that 
woman?"  asked  Abraham. 

"Well,  it  was  generally  supposed  that  they  would  be 
married  when  they  left  together;  but  since  her  return  peo 
ple  have  their  peculiar  views  about  the  matter.  It  is  my 
honest  conviction  that  Jesse  is  a  scoundrel,  and  that  he 
deluded  Mrs.  Reisan  with  the  promise  of  marriage  in 
order  to  rob  her  of  her  wealth." 


254  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

"Why,  he  seemed  to  be  very  wealthy,"  said  McGilli- 
cuddy.  "I  know  that  he  spent  money  profusely." 

"It  is  very  true  that  he  had  money,  and  as  you  say, 
spent  it  lavishly;  but  I  think  that  he  obtained  it  on  the 
strength  of  his  title  and  his  face,"  observed  the  shrewd 
Lohman.  "I  think  that  he  is  a  member  of  a  ruined  fam 
ily,  and  he  turned  his  head  toward  Toadia,  where  the  smile 
of  a  lord  is  worth  millions.  Before  Mrs.  Reisan  left  she 
employed  Mr.  Rosenbaum  as  an  agent  to  take  charge  of 
her  property,  and  since  then  she  has  sold  several  valuable 
properties,  which  realized  over  eight  hundred  thousand 
dollars,  and  perhaps  she  has  drawn  on  her  bank  stock  for 
several  hundred  thousand  more.  Now  you  know  that  she 
did  not  invest  that  money  in  Dan,  where  profits  are  not 
more  than  one-third  of  what  they  are  in  this  country. 

"Besides,  since  her  return,  she  has  nothing  but  words 
of  abuse  for  Lord  Jesse.  There  is  something  very  strange 
about  her  entire  conduct.  A  few  days  ago  she  told  Mrs. 
Gehtheimer  that  Lord  Jesse  borrowed  a  large  sum  from 
her,  and  then  left  for  South  Arabia  to  watch  the  move 
ments  of  the  war,  and  invest  her  money  in  the  diamond 
and  gold  fields  of  Jonas.  He  represented  to  her  that  in  a 
short  time  the  stock  would  be  one  hundred  per  cent  above 
par.  She  complained  that  after  Lord  Jesse  arrived  in 
Jonas  she  never  heard  from  him  again." 

"That  seems  suspicious,"  said  McGillicuddy. 

"I  learned  from  a  friend. that  Mrs.  Gehtheimer  and 
Mrs.  Reisan  were  consoling  each  other  in  heaping  abuse 
on  the  head  of  the  Danish  nobleman.  I  would  judge  from 
what  I  know  of  the  case  that  Jesse  deceived  both  women. 
He  promised  to  marry  Lucile  Gehtheimer,  and,  also,  Mrs. 
Reisan,  and  his  motive  in  both  cases  was  to  obtain  pecu 
niary  assistance." 

"In  referring  to  Jonas,"  said  Abraham,  "you  remind 
me  of  the  recent  exploit  of  an  adventurous  spirit  who  has 
invented  an  air-ship  which  he  is  using  with  dreadful  re 
sults  on  the  Danish  hosts." 

"I  saw  some  mention  of  the  invention,  but  have  no 
definite  idea  of  the  nature  of  the  machine,  or  how  it  is  ap 
plied  to  warfare." 

"The  daily  papers  are  anxious  to  conceal  the  facts  in 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  2$5 

the  case,  because  it  thwarts  their  ambition,  to  see  the  su 
premacy  of  Danish  power  destroyed  in  Arabia.  The 
triumph  of  the  Jonites  signifies  the  burial  of  the  Danish 
empire;  and  our  journals  are  controlled  by  the  imperialists 
in  this  country,  and  that  is  the  reason  that  the  tidings  of 
recent  developments  have  ben  so  completely  ignored.  I 
have  the  latest  dispatches  from  the  seat  of  war,  and  the 
entire  story  will  be  published  in  this  week's  issue  of  'The 
Flaming  Sword/  " 

"How  is  the  air-ship  constructed,  Mac?" 

"The  air-ship,  or  machine,  I  should  say,  as  it  is  a  small 
piece  of  mechanism,  suitable  to  convey  perhaps  ten  or 
twelve  men,  is  propelled  by  electricity;  and  its  motion  is 
controlled  by  wings  attached  to  the  machine.  A  dynamo 
of  powerful  force,  which  draws  its  supply  of  electricity 
from  the  air,  on  the  same  principle  as  the  lightning  rod 
absorbs  the  electrical  current,  is  placed  in  the  interior  of 
the  ship,  and  as  rapidly  as  the  electrical  current  is  drawn 
to  the  dynamo,  there  is  an  apparatus  called  the  receiver, 
by  which  this  force  is  stored  away  in  a  receptacle,  and 
can  afterward  be  used  at  the  option  of  the  conductor,  by 
means  of  a  crank.  When  the  crank  is  turned  on,  the  elec 
trical  force  gives  motion  to  the  ship.  There  is  a  lever 
which  directs  the  wings  of  the  ship,  and  the  conductor 
can  take  any  direction,  either  up  or  down,  or  toward  any 
point  of  the  compass,  according  to  the  angle  which  he 
gives  to  the  wings  of  the  machine.  The  ship  travels  about 
two  hundred  miles  an  hour  and  is  perfectly  safe." 

"Who  is  the  inventor  of  this  machine?" 

"His  name  is  Paddy  Eisenheimer." 

"Is  he  a  native  of  South  Arabia?" 

"The  dispatches  do  not  make  mention  of  his  nation 
ality,  but  some  people  think  he  is  a  Toadian.  More  than 
one  year  ago  an  air-ship  was  seen  passing  through  our 
western  States,  and  it  was  later  observed  in  the  north. 
You  remember,  of  course,  the  accounts  given  by  the  press 
at  the  time?" 

"Yes,  I  read  the  report,  but  it  was  regarded  by  most 
readers  as  a  canard.  In  fact,  the  papers  ridiculed  the  idea, 
calling  it  preposterous." 

"But  it  seems  that  it  must  have  been  true,  for  a  few 


256  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

weeks  afterward  it  made  its  appearance  in  Asher,  then  in 
Zabulon  and  several  other  places.  I  also  remember  that 
a  dispatch  from  South  Arabia  stated  that  this  air-ship  had 
sailed  over  the  Danish  dominion  and  reconnoitered,  as  it 
was  presumed,  the  position  of  the  Danish  forces.  This 
was  advanced  to  explain  the  fact  that  the  Jonites  antici 
pated  the  movements  of  the  invading  army,  and  preserved 
their  hosts  from  annihilation  by  seeking  refuge  in  the 
fortified  towns  and  in  the  mountain  passes.  The  Danish 
generals  have  made  more  than  a  dozen  strategical  efforts 
to  entrap  the  enemy,  but  in  every  case  they  have  been 
astonished  to  ascertain  that  their  movements  have  been 
rported  to  the  Jonites,  and  their  purposes  were  completely 
foiled.  And  in  each  case,  previously  to  the  execution  of 
their  plans,  the  Danites  noticed  the  air-ship  hovering  over 
their  forts  and  camps." 

"What  new  developments  have  ueen  discovered  in  the 
movements  of  the  air-ship?" 

"Eisenheimer  has  lately  invented  a  bomb  01  dread 
fully  explosive  power,  which  he  carries  with  him  in  his 
machine,  and  when  over  the  enemy,  he  drops  it  on  them, 
and  on  striking  the  ground  the  concussion  causes  detona 
tion." 

"What  is  the  nature  of  the  bomb?" 

"That  is  yet  unknown,  but  it  is  far  more  disastrous  in 
its  consequences  than  the  Grecian  Fire.  The  other  day, 
Eisenheimer  sailed  over  Delcan,  where  five  thousand  sol 
diers  were  encamped,  and  he  dropped  one  bomb,  which 
killed  every  person  and  destroyed  every  building  within 
a  radius  of  five  hundred  feet.  There  is  also  a  poisonous 
ingredient  which  pollutes  the  atmosphere  perhaps  within 
a  circumference  of  several  miles,  for  those  that  were  be 
yond  the  immediate  reach  of  the  explosive  power  of  the 
bomb  died  in  less  than  two  hours  from  poison,  and  they 
can  only  explain  the  mystery  by  attributing  it  to  the  dead 
ly  composition  of  the  explosive." 

"That  will  destroy  the  empire  of  Dan  in  South  Ara 
bia." 

"It  is  more  than  probable  that  it  will  change  the  policy 
of  the  nations  of  the  earth,  for  with  a  ship  armed  with  such 
explosives,  one  power  will  have  no  advantage  over  an- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  2$7 

other,  and  the  governments  of  the  world  will  advocate 
disarmament,  and  adopt  an  international  court  of  arbitra 
tion  as  the  means  of  adjusting  disputes  instead  of  appeal 
ing  to  the  sword." 

"I  hope  so,  Mac.  If  this  proves  an  ultimate  success, 
then  the  bloody  chariot  of  Mars  will  never  more  disturb 
the  peace  of  nations  and  fill  the  world  with  the  cry  of 
battle,  and  stain  the  valleys  with  the  purple  dye  of  human 
gore.  As  soon  as  'The  Flaming  Sword'  appears,  I  will 
read  the  news  which  you  promise.  Good-morning,  Mac." 

"Good-morning,  Lohman.    Call  again." 

"Thank  you     I  will." 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

A  few  weeks  later  news  reached  Toadia  that  the  flying 
ship,  loaded  with  demons  of  death  and  destruction,  had 
annihilated  the  Danish  armies  in  South  Arabia,  demol 
ished  their  navy  and  swept  the  wreck  from  the  bosom  of 
the  deep.  The  great  statesman  who  had  directed  the  policy 
of  the  empire  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  stood  aghast  at 
the  awful  havoc  that  had  been  made  within  a  few  weeks. 
That  magnificent  navy  which  had  been  the  queen  of  the 
ocean  and  the  mistress  of  the  deep  for  over  a  century; 
that  navy  which  had  swept  every  sea  and  borne  the  na 
tional  emblem  to  every  shore,  and  which  every  power 
feared  as  the  undisputed  ruler  of  the  waves;  that  navy, 
crowned  with  a  hundred  glorious  battles,  was  no  more. 
It  had  perished  within  a  month,  and  the  glory  of  the 
Danish  name  and  dominion  had  vanished  from  the  sea, 
and  the  foaming  surge  now  swept  over  the  wreck  of  their 
steel-clad  ships  and  chanted  the  requiem  of  the  buried 
fleets. 

The  army,  too,  which  had  won  immortal  honors  on 
many  a  field  of  carnage,  and  filled  the  capital  of  the  nation 
with  trophies  from  every  land,  had  been  destroyed,  and 
the  bones  of  heroes  lay  bleaching  beneath  the  torrid  sun 
of  South  Arabia,  and  on  the  sultry  plains  of  Media,  and 
amidst  the  mountains  of  Schylon  and  far  away  on  the  bor 
ders  of  Ebbonia  and  by  the  rills  and  streams  of  Cushia. 

No  more  shall  the  roar  of  the  Lion  echo  among  the 
vine-clad  hills  of  Jonas !  No  more  shall  he  paw  the  dust 


258  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

of  the  desert,  or  climb  the  rocks  of  the  mountains,  and 
send  a  chill  through  the  savage  tribes  of  the  Orient.  His 
day  of  supremacy  is  gone.  His  triumph  is  ended.  His 
reign  has  come  to  a  close.  Every  colony  ruled  by  the 
Danish  queen  has  shaken  off  the  yoke,  and  the  mighty 
potentate  of  the  earth  weeps  over  the  fall  of  her  throne  and 
of  her  empire.  Lord  Aran  had  awakened  from  his  dream. 
The  Eagles  will  not  be  chased  from  their  eyry  amidst  the 
mountain 'crags  of  Toadia,  and  Lord  Uriah,  the  son-in- 
law  of  Rosenberger,  will  not  wear  the  diadem  of  the  new 
born  empire  beneath  the  stars  of  the  west.  Every  colony 
of  that  vast  empire,  that  encircled  the  globe  two  months 
ago,  has  declared  its  independence;  and  Ephraim,  which 
had  suffered  for  three  centuries  from  the  most  heartless 
persecutions  in  the  history  of  the  world,  has  established  a 
.republic,  and  her  ambassador  will  soon  present  his  cre 
dentials  to  the  Secretary  of  State  in  the  capital  of  Toadia. 
The  old  world  has  been  swept  away,  and  new  powers  have 
ben  erected  on  the  ruins  that  mark  the  path  of  the  war 
god.  Man  proposes,  but  God  disposes.  The  capitalists  of 
Toadia  never  dreamed  of  this  change  in  the  history  of  the 
nations.  Already  they  were  weaving  the  crown  for  the 
royal  head,  and  depending  on  the  mailed  hosts  of  the  Dan 
ish  empire  to  assist  them  in  crushing  the  people  in  their 
march  to  royalty. 

Abraham  McGillicuddy  was  elated  over  the  success  of 
the  Jonites,  and  went  to  Mr.  Einstein's  to  see  his  affianced, 
and  to  have  a  talk  with  her  father  on  the  current  events. 
The  family  was  also  jubilant  over  recent  developments  in 
South  Arabia,  and  more  than  all,  they  had  received  a  letter 
from  Biddy.  Mr.  Einstein  read  the  letter  to  Abraham.  The 
young  heroine  related  the  story  of  their  delivery,  and  the 
liberation  of  the  struggling  Republic  through  the  efforts 
of  Mr.  Eisenheimer.  The  Danish  sued  for  peace,  and  not 
only  vacated  the  city  of  Zapling,  but  promised  to  abandon 
forever  their  purposes  in  South  Arabia. 

'The  jail  in  the  capital  was  thrown  open,"  wrote  Miss 
Einstein,  "and  the  prisoners  once  more  breathed  the  at 
mosphere  of  freedom.  Mr.  Eisenheimer  is  the  most  re 
markable  man  that  has  ever  lived  in  the  world's  history. 
He  appeared  here  about  a  year  ago,  and  made  known  his 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  2$9 

purpose  to  the  people  of  this  Republic,  and  his  services 
were  accepted.  The  air-ship  was  of  incalculable  advan 
tage  to  us  in  keeping  the  warriors  informed  as  to  the  posi 
tion  of  the  enemy.  But  the  inventive  genius  of  Eisen- 
heimer  did  not  stop  with  the  construction  of  the  ship.  He 
conceived  the  idea  of  hurling  explosives  from  his  winged 
vehicle  on  the  heads  of  the  invaders,  and  the  world  is  now 
familiar  with  the  success  of  his  enterprise.  The  war  is 
over.  The  hosts  of  the  Danish  empire  have  been  anni 
hilated,  and  their  colors  have  been  trailed  in  the  dust.  Ah ! 
may  it  be  a  lesson  to  our  native  land.  May  the  Eagles 
never  float  over  the  citadels  of  other  nations  except  in  the 
cause  of  freedom.  May  the  Toadian  legions  be  withdrawn 
from  Heron  and  Ammon.  May  war  be  banished  from 
every  land,  and  all  nations  live  in  the  bonds  of  brotherly 
love.  I  will  be  home  again  in  a  few  months.  Good-by. 

"Your  loving  Biddy." 

"It  will  be  a  lesson  to  this  nation,"  said  Abraham,  "and 
a  timely  lesson.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  reverses  of  the 
Danish  forces  in  this  unjust  aggression  in  the  republic  of 
Jonas,  I  think  we  would  have  had  some  trouble  in  our 
coming  election." 

While  this  conversation  was  taking  place  in  the  Ein 
stein  mansion,  Mr.  Nehlmeyer  stepped  in  and  announced 
the  fact  that  Lord  Jesse  and  Elija  Murphy  had  been  ar 
rested  for  the  murder  of  Teddy. 

"The  murder  of  Teddy!"  exclaimed  Mr.  Einstein,  "Is 
it  possible?  Where  was  Jesse  arrested?" 

"In  Rubek,"  replied  Mr.  Nehlmeyer,  "by  an  agent  of 
the  Soloman  Detective  Agency.  He  has  been  shadowing 
him  since  he  left  here  with  Mrs.  Reisan,  and  after  his  de 
parture,  Mrs.  Gehtheimer  gave  some  hints  that  were  fol 
lowed  up  by  the  detectives." 

"Murder  cannot  be  concealed,"  said  Mr.  Einstein, 
"and  I  knew  that  the  day  would  come  when  the  shadow 
of  suspicion  would  be  lifted  from  the  character  of  Isaac 
Gilhooley,  and  the  crime  fastened  on  the  guilty  party." 

"I  made  that  prediction  at  the  time,"  said  Abraham. 

In  their  anxiety  to  learn  more  of  the  details,  the  gentle 
men  left  the  house,  and  went  down  to  the  hotel,  where 
more  than  a  thousand  people  had  assembled  to  hear  the 


260  EYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

news  that  had  created  the  greatest  sensation  that  Deboreh 
had  experienced  in  many  years. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

One  evening  in  the  early  part  of  May,  1863,  an  audi 
ence  that  represented  the  thinking  element  of  Deboreh 
assembled  in  the  Music  Hall,  for  it  was  known  that  Abra 
ham  McGillicuddy  would  deliver  a  lecture  on  the  attitude 
of  the  Church  on  the  question  of  Socialism.  The  young 
reformer  was  introduced,  with  a  few  appropriate  remarks, 
by  the  Mayor  of  the  city,  who  had  won  the  victory  on  the 
Socialistic  ticket  at  the  last  election.  McGillicuddy  at 
once  launched  forth  into  his  subject,  and  for  nearly  two 
hours  his  matchless  eloquence  held  the  immense  throng 
in  a  trance.  The  following  is  a  synopsis  of  his  speech: 

The  Church  is  preaching  a  crusade  against  Socialism. 
She  claims  that  Socialism  is  identical  with  atheism,  and  I 
am  here  to-night  to  disprove  this  accusation.  Individual 
ism  is  responsible  for  all  the  crimes  falsely  attributed  to 
Socialism.  The  Savior  teaches  that  if  you  have  two  coats, 
give  one  to  your  neighbor,  and  individualism  hoards  up 
millions  while  the  nation  is  clothed  in  rags  and  is  dying 
of  hunger.  Dives  was  an  individualist  and  Lazarus  was 
a  Socialist,  and  when  the  former  died  he  went  to  a  country 
where  he  was  never  afflicted  with  frozen  feet,  and  where 
all  the  gold  in  the  world  would  not  purchase  a  drop  of 
water.  Lazarus  died  and  was  borne  by  bands*  of  winged 
seraphim  to  the  bright  elysian  fields,  where  the  glory  of 
Socialism  fills  every  soul  with  light  and  every  heart  with 
joy. 

The  Bible  says  love  your  neighbor  as  yourself,  and  in 
dividualism  says,  kill  your  neighbor  to  glorify  yourself. 
Individualism  engenders  hatred.  The  Gospel  teaches  that 
you  should  do  unto  others  as  you  wish  that  others  should 
do  unto  you;  and  individualism  says,  do  others  before 
they  do  you.  The  Church  is  very  anxious  about  the  sal- 


BEYOND  THE  ELACK  OCEAN  26l 

vation  of  the  poor  man,  and  she  claims  that  the  omy  way 
to  save  the  poor  man  is  to  work  him  hard  and  feed  him 
little. 

The  Redeemer  said  that  the  great  commandment  of 
the  law  is  to  "love  God  with  thy  whole  heart,  and  the  sec 
ond  is  like  unto  the  first,  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself. 
Upon  these  two  commandments  depend  the  whole  law 
and  the  prophets."  This  was  the  object  of  the  creation. 
It  was  for  this  purpose  that  the  Almighty  studded  the  uni 
verse  with  dazzling  suns  and  flaming  orbs,  and  glittering 
stars,  that  intelligent  beings  placed  in  the  universe  of  cre 
ation,  might  arise  in  their  contemplations  from  this  pano 
rama  of  glory  to  the  throne  of  Omnipotence,  where,  in 
flamed  with  the  ethereal  fires  of  love,  they  might  pour  out 
their  heart's  affection  on  every  form  of  rational  life.  It 
was  for  this  purpose  that  the  footsteps  of  God  echoed 
through  the  groves  of  the  terrestrial  paradise,  and  the  whis 
pers  of  the  Infinite  filled  the  soul  of  primeval  man  with  the 
truth  of  the  first  revelation.  It  was  for  this  purpose  that 
prophets  were  illuminated  with  the  knowledge  begotten  in 
the  mind  of  Uncreated  Wisdom,  and  beaming  with  the 
light  of  the  eternal  court,  and  speaking  with  the  voice  of 
inspiration,  poured  out  their  songs  on  the  mountain  peaks 
of  Israel.  It  was  for  this  purpose  that  the  vision  of  the 
Messiah  haunted  the  dreams  of  the  ancient  seers,  and  a 
Virgin  conceived  and  brought  forth  a  Son  to  glorify  the 
world  with  deeds  and  words  of  love.  It  was  for  this  pur 
pose  that  the  angels  sang  peace  and  good  will  to  men  on 
earth,  when  the  infant  cry  of  Bethlehem's  Babe  announced 
the  fulfillment  of  the  ancient  promises. 

The  life  of  Christ  from  the  cradle  to  the  tomb  was  a 
sermon  on  the  law  of  love.  If  we  follow  Him  in  His 
lonely  walks  along  the  shores  of  Genesareth,  or  among 
the  hills  of  Galilee,  or  in  the  throng  that  heard  Him  preach 
His  famous  sermon  on  the  mount,  we  see  that  every  word 
and  every  sigh,  every  look  and  every  act,  is  prompted  by 
the  sweet  impulse  of  love.  "He  that  hateth  his  brother  is 
a  murderer,"  and  when  the  shadows  of  death  were  gather 
ing  around  Him  on  the  summit  of  Calvary,  when  the 
rabble  reveled  in  His  blood,  when  Barabbas  was  liberated 
that  the  multitude  might  crucify  the  Nazarene,  He  raised 


262  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

His  voice  and  cried  from  the  depths  of  His  heart,  "Father, 
forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do."  He  es 
tablished  His  Church,  and  sent  it  forth  to  conquer  the 
world  by  the  law  of  love. 

But  individualism  has  been  the  enemy  of  religion.  It 
destroys  love,  creates  castes,  subverts  liberty,  establishes 
despotism,  and  violates  every  commandment  of  God.  The 
Almighty  proclaimed  the  unity  of  the  divine  essence  on 
the  flame-lit  mountain  peak  of  Arabia,  and  told  the  chosen 
race  to  abandon  the  idols  of  Egypt  and  the  altar  of  Mo 
loch,  and  the  groves  of  Astarthe.  We  are  taught  by  the 
inspired  voice  of  the  Galilean  to  repose  our  confidence  in 
Divine  Providence.  We  are  warned  not  to  think  of  what 
we  shall  eat  or  drink,  or  wherewith  shall  we  be  clothed, 
for  after  these  things  do  the  heathens  seek.  "Be  not  solici 
tous  for  to-morrow,  for  to-morrow  will  be  solicitous  for 
itself.  Sufficient  for  the  day  is  the  evil  thereof."  "Con 
sider  the  ravens,  for  they  sow  not,  neither  have  they  store 
house  nor  barns,  and  God  feedeth  them.  How  much  are 
you  more  valuable  than  they?  Consider  the  lilies  how 
they  grow.  They  labor  not,  neither  do  they  spin.  But  I 
say  to  you  not  even  Solomon  in  all  his  glory  was  clothed 
like  one  of  these.  Now  if  God  clothe  in  this  manner  the 
grass,  how  much  more  you,  O  ye  of  little  faith?"  God 
has  filled  nature  with  potent  energies,  that  respond  to 
man's  labor  and  cover  every  hill  with  verdant  robes,  and 
every  field  with  golden  grain,  and  yet  millions  are  starv 
ing,  and  walk  the  street  in  rags.  Individualism  is  respon 
sible  for  all  these  ills,  and  yet  it  pretends  to  worship  at  the 
altar  of  God. 

Individualism  has  destroyed  the  purposes  of  the  Cre 
ator,  when  He  filled  the  world  with  abundance.  If  every 
one  would  take  what  he  needs  and  no  more,  there  would 
be  plenty  for  all;  but  individualism  claims  that  a  few 
should  monopolize  the  wealth  of  the  nation,  and  the 
masses  should  live  in  poverty.  Time  is  short  and  eternity 
is  long.  The  Creator  suffers  man  to  abuse  His  gifts,  but 
at  the  hour  of  death,  He  will  hurl  His  anathemas  against 
those  who  have  robbed  the  poor'of  their  labor  and  dis 
inherited  the  millions. 

Ladies  and  gentlemen,  there  is  a  hell,  and  it  was  not 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  263 

made  for  cats  and  dogs.  The  individualists  tells  the  beg 
gar  that  God  wishes  him  to  suffer.  "He  wishes  some  to 
be  poor  and  some  to  be  rich,  some  to  be  masters  and  some 
to  be  slaves.  When  God  condemned  riches,  He  merely 
meant  the  bad  use  of  riches.  I  make  good  use  of  my 
wealth,  for  I  support  so  many  who  would  starve  if  I  did 
not  employ  them.  As  for  Christ,  He  never  possessed  any 
wealth,  and  He  did  not  know  the  value  of  wealth."  The 
poor  are  losing  their  faith  in  God,  for  the  Church,  which 
pretends  to  be  the  exponent  of  heaven's  fiats,  sanctions  all 
the  wrongs  that  are  inflicted  on  them.  When  ministers 
look  on  and  see  the  laborers  robbed,  and  sanctify  the  rob 
bery  with  scriptural  quotations,  are  you  surprised  that 
the  laborer  hates  the  minister  and  the  religion  that  he 
preaches?  The  beggar  goes  to  Church  on  Sunday,  and  he 
hears  the  preacher  expatiating  on  the  necessity  of  eternal 
punishment,  and  he  concludes  that  God  could  occupy  His 
time  more  profitably  in  settling  the  labor  problem  than  in 
making  a  hell.  Hunger  is  hell  enough  for  him. 

The  second  commandment  reads,  "Thou  shalt  not  take 
the  name  of  God  in  vain."  You  must  ever  praise  the  name 
of  Jehovah,  who  led  the  hosts  of  Israel  from  the  flaming 
sands  of  the  Nile,  across  the  wilderness  to  the  Land  of 
Promise.  The  poor  woman  sits  on  your  doorstep  in  the 
cold,  chilly  blast  of  winter.  She  looks  in  through  the  win 
dow  and  sees  the  blazing  fire  and  happy  children  with 
dimpled  faces  basking  in  a  mother's  smile.  She  thinks  of 
her  lonely,  dark,  cold  and  cherless  cabin.  She  thinks  of 
•the  little  garret  where  her  babes  are  starving  and  freezing, 
and  she  begs  the  crumbs  that  fall  from  your  table.  She 
asks  you  to  feed  and  clothe  her  little  ones,  and  you  tell 
her  that  God  wishes  her  to  suffer.  All  cannot  be  rich.  Go 
home  to  your  miserable  hut  and  thank  the  Almighty  that 
you  are  living. 

Go  with  me  into  the  slums  of  this  great  city,  enter  into 
those  desolate  abodes,  and  you  hear  the  sobs  of  grief  and 
the  sighs  of  anguish,  the  overflowing  of  sorrow-stricken 
hearts,  the  wailing  of  forlorn  souls.  It  is  more  pitiful  than 
the  lamentations  of  Jeremiah  over  the  dispersion  of  Israel 
and  the  desecration  of  her  temple.  There  you  find  a  whole 
family  living  in  one  room.  Enter  that  miserable  habita- 


264  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

tion,  and  what  do  you  see?  By  the  dim  light  of  the  flicker 
ing  flame  that  seems  to  weep  over  the  sorrow  of  that 
home,  and  mingle  its  tears  with  the  tears  of  its  lonely  in 
mates;  by  the  glimmering  of  the  waning  fire  you  behold  a 
pallid-faced  woman  and  several  little  children.  Upon  the 
brow  of  the  mother  is  the  furrow  of  care,  and  her  silvery 
tresses  would  indicate  that  she  is  far  advanced  down  the 
valley  of  years.  But  you  learn  that  she  is  a  woman  of.  less 
than  two  score  summers;  yet  the  hand  of  sorrow  has 
hastened  the  sun  of  her  existence,  and  the  shadow  of  age 
reaches  out  to  the  borders  of  the  mystic  land.  This  is  the 
fruit  of  individualism,  the  fruit  of  robbery  and  injustice; 
and  when  the  desolate  mother  hears  the  Church  sanction 
this  crime,  and  tell  her  that  her  poverty  is  decreed  by 
heaven,  that  others  may  live  in  parlors  and  revel  in  luxu 
ries,  she  will  curse  the  ordinances  of  the  Most  High,  and 
blaspheme  the  Holy  One  of  Israel. 

"When  the  Son  of  Man  cometh,  shall  He  find,  think 
ye,  faith  upon  the  earth?"  Not  unless  we  change  the  in 
dustrial  system  which  contradicts  every  word  of  God, 
which  blights  every  flower  of  love,  paralyses  every  noble 
impulse  of  the  human  heart,  fills  every  soul  with  selfish 
ness,  pride  and  vanity,  and  is  blotting  out  God's  name 
from  the  fair  brow  of  creation,  and  turning  the  earth  into  a 
school  of  atheism.  The  Church  preaches  that  there  will 
be  no  castes  in  heaven;  all  will  be  alike  there;  yet  there 
must  be  castes  here.  She  is  opposed  to  equality  on  earth, 
though  admitting  that  it  will  be  one  of  the  joys  of  heaven. 
It  seems  to  me  that  it  would  be  prudent  to  practice  equali 
ty  here,  so  as  to  get  used  to  it.  It  will  be  an  awkward 
thing  to  fall  into  the  brotherhood  of  heaven  without  any 
previous  experience. 

I  wish  to  read  a  few  extracts  from  a  sermon  delivered 
in  Kidron  the  other  day  by  Mr.  Isaac  Mahony,  and  which 
was  published  in  the  Chronicle  of  that  city.  The  Reverend 
divine  spoke  on  the  disparities  between  the  classes,  and 
attributes  it  all  to  the  will  of  God.  (i)  "We  see  a  great 
many  wicked  men  enjoying  prosperity,"  says  the  minister, 
"and  a  large  number  of  the  just  are  poor,  and  we  are  sur 
prised  at  the  differences.  But  all  this  is  done  for  the  best. 
God  gives  wealth  to  the  wicked  to  awaken  their  gratitude." 


\ 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  265 

Why  not  give  it  to  the  poor  to  awaken  their  gratitude? 
It  would  follow  from  this  statement  that  God  is  kind  to 
His  enemies  and  unkind  to  His  servants ;  and  we  should 
join  the  rebellious  legions,  if  we  wish  to  bask  in  the  smile 
of  divine  love.  If  God  wishes  to  excite  the  gratitude  of 
the  wicked  by  large  donations,  He  has  made  a  mistake  in 
the  character  of  the  people  with  whom  He  is  dealing,  for 
experiences  prove  that  ninety  per  cent  of  the  wealthy  class 
abandon  the  Church  and  forget  the  Creator. 

(2)  "By  giving  riches  to  the  wicked,  God  keeps  them 
from  cursing  and  blaspheming,  and  thus  He  masters  them 
as  we  would  subject  wild  animals,  by  feeding  them."  The 
just  should  therefore  go  on  a  strike,  and  refuse  to  obey  the 
Almighty  till  He  fills  their  coffers  with  gold. 

(3)  "The  wicked  will  go  to  hell,  and  therefore  God 
wishes  to  give  them  some  enjoyment  in  this  life."    So  if 
you  decide  to  migrate  to  a  warm  climate  after  death,  the 
smiles  of  fortune  will  cast  a  flood  of  light  upon  your  earth 
ly  career. 

(4)  "God  thus  punishes  the  avarice  of  the  wicked,  for 
wealth  will  be  their  ruin."    Then  every  one  who  supports 
individualism  must  be  seeking  destruction,  for  individu 
alism  is  the  deification  of  wealth. 

(5)  "God  allows  one  wicked  man  to  grow  rich  at  the 
expense  of  another,  who  has  accumulated  his  wealth  by 
dishonest  methods;  and  thus  by  divine  providence  the  lat 
ter  is  punished."  Yes,  but  what  about  the  former?  What 
about  the  person  from  whom  the  latter  steals?    Does  God 
wish  to  punish  the  poor  and  just  by  allowing  thieves  to 
plunder  them? 

(6)  "God  bestows  wealth  on  the  wicked  to  teach  the 
just  that  wealth  is  evil,  otherwise  it  would  not  be  given  to 
rascals."    If  wealth  is  an  evil  and  given  to  the  wicked  for 
their  destruction,  why  does  the  Church  array  herself  on 
the  side  of  capitalism?    Why  does  she  defend  the  rights  of 
the  millionaire  robber  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  other  men's 
labor? 

(7)  "Some  good  men  become  rich,  for  God  wishes  to 
give  them  a  foretaste  of  heaven.     He  does  not  bestow 
wealth  on  all  good  people,  as  vast  fortunes  would  be  inju 
rious"  to  the  vulgar  herd.    They  might  possibly  change 


266  BEYOND  TEE  BLACK  OCEAN 

their  minds  about  the  glory  of  heaven  and  prefer  the  tor 
tures  of  hell. 

(8)  "God  wishes  the  wealthy  people  to  give  charity. 
The  wealthy  are  therefore  the  agents  of  God  in  doing 
good."  But  it  would  be  better  to  give  to  the  poor  directlv 
for  then  they  would  be  likely  to  get  it. 

But  we  are  not  yet  through  with  this  remarkable  ser 
mon.  Here  is  the  finishing  touch.  Just  listen  to  this,  la 
dies  and  gentlemen!  (9)  "God  gives  wealth  to  some  just 
men,  to  show  that  He  can  reconcile  two  things  which  seem 
next  to  incompatible,  namely  riches  and  Christian  virtue." 
Therefore,  we  are  to  look  upon  God  as  a  trickster  who 
performs  marvelous  feats  to  show  his  dexterity.  We  might 
represent  Him  as  speaking  to  the  race  of  men.  "You  have 
all  tried  to  do  this  and  you  have  made  a  lamentable  failure; 
now  just  watch  me  do  it!" 

The  third  commandment  requires  that  we  should  keep 
holy  the  Sabbath  day.  But  a  man  who  works  ten  or 
twelve  hours  every  day  in  the  week,  and  perhaps  till  late 
on  Friday  night,  does  not  feel  disposed  to  assist  at  ser 
vices  on  the  Sabbath  day,  but  he  will  stay  at  home  and 
rest.  A  large  number  of  our  people  are  compelled  to 
work  on  the  Sabbath  day.  A  large  number  have  not  suffi 
cient  clothing  to  appear  in  public;  and  on  account  of  their 
poverty  are  neglected  by  the  minister  and  often  treated 
with  disrespect  by  the  congregation;  and  in  the  sermon, 
they  are  told  to  obey  their  masters,  and  not  strive  for 
higher  things. 

The  fourth  commandment,  as  interpreted  by  the 
Church,  says  that  we  must  not  only  honor,  love  and  obey 
our  parents,  but  also  our  pastors  and  teachers,  magistrates 
and  masters.  Shall  the  poor  love  the  ministers  who  are 
living  on  them,  and  yet  never  do  anything  to  alleviate  their 
sad  condition,  who  are  even  on  the  side  of  the  strong 
against  the  weak,  on  the  side  of  capital  against  labor? 
Honor  corrupt  officials  who  are  fattening  at  the  public 
crib!  Obey  Moses  McKinley,  Martin  Hannon  and  their 
band  of  butchers! 

The  fifth  commandment  forbids  killing,  quarreling 
and  anger.  In  ancient  times,  and  among  barbarous  na 
tions  of  recent  centuries,  old  people,  who  were  superan- 


\ 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  267 

nuated,  deformed  infants  and  the  decrepit,  were  sacrificed 
to  the  blade  of  the  executioner.  And  I  say  that  those  cruel 
methods  were  more  humane  than  the  slow  and  torturous 
death  that  we  inflict  on  the  poor.  Individualism  is  killing 
millions  every  year.  Go  down  into  the  coal  mines  of  Dan, 
and  you  behold  little  children  working  sixteen  hours  a  day 
under  the  stroke  of  the  lash.  Go  into  the  factories  and 
sweat-shops  of  Toadia,  and  you  behold  the  arena  where 
the  angel  of  death  has  pitched  his  tent,  and  the  brow  of 
every  toiler  is  marked  with  the  brand  of  the  sable  tyrant. 
The  victims  of  our  industrial  system  are  far  more  numer 
ous  than  the  victims  of  Mars.  I  go  back  in  fancy's  flight 
to  the  remotest  ages  of  authentic  history,  and  I  weigh  all 
the  pangs  of  grief  that  have  'been  inflicted  by  the  sword  of 
the  conqueror  or  the  despotism  of  the  monarch.  I  accu 
mulate  all  the  agonies  that  have  bowed  down  human  souls. 
I  take  the  bleeding  heart  of  Israel  when  she  wandered 
over  the  bleak  wastes  of  Egypt  to  the  shores  of  the  Red 
Sea,  pursued  by  the  standing  army  of  the  kingdom.  I  see 
the  children  of  Abraham  on  the  sandy  desert  of  Arabia, 
weeping  because  they  had  not  been  massacred  in  the  land 
of  bondage.  I  hear  them  crying  for  bread  to  feed  their 
hunger  and  asking  for  water  to  slake  their  thirst  while 
marching  in  the  wilderness.  I  see  them'  without  a  home, 
resting  under  the  purple  sheen  of  heaven,  pitching  their 
tents  beneath  the  smiling  stars.  I  look  at  God's  chosen 
people  when  they  were  slaughtered  by  the  giants  of  the 
north,  and  torn  to  pieces  by  the  war-dogs  of  the  south.  I 
hear  the  cry  of  the  innocents  that  fell  beneath  the  shining 
blade  of  Herod,  and  I  gaze  on  the  heaving  bosoms  of 
mothers,  pouring  out  their  sighs  over  the  cruel  massacre 
of  their  cooing  babes.  I  behold  the  city  of  Zion  surround 
ed  by  the  Roman  legions,  and  the  prophecy  of  Christ  ac 
complished  in  the  destruction  of  the  temple,  the  pride  and 
hope  and  glory  of  the  nation,  and  the  chosen  people  dis 
persed  and  driven  from  the  homes  of  their  sires.  I  hear 
the  wail  of  Judah  echoing  through  the  centuries,  calling 
upon  Jehovah  to  deliver  her  from  the  weeds  of  mourning 
and  restore  her  altar,  sacrifice  and  priesthood.  I  hear  the 
voice  of  Ephraim's  sons  pleading  for  the  rights  of  their 
country.  I  hear  the  mothers  of  Bagdad  :begging  for  the 


268  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

lives  of  their  children.  I  see  the  march  of  Benheim 
through  the  land  which  was  a  smiling  meadow  before  him 
and  a  desolate  waste  behind  his  mailed  hosts.  I  hear  the 
last  groan  of  the  nation  in  the  trenches  of  Shared  and 
among  the  mountains  of  Pyrek.  I  summon  up  all  the 
victories  of  Ozias.  I  behold  the  conqueror  of  nations  at 
Diol  and  Goren,  at  Neaz  and  Zilhauster.  I  gaze  upon 
him  in  his  march  over  the  sands  of  Sohan,  and  the  glory 
•of  his  triumph  in  the  battle  of  the  swamps.  I  see  his  dis 
aster  at  Simvoal,  and  his  magnificent  army  perishing 
amidst  the  snows  of  Kurush,  and  the  end  of  his  unparal 
leled  career  in  the  defeat  of  Loterwaren.  I  see  him  in  his 
solitary  exile,  upon  a  rock  amidst  the  dashing  billows  of 
the  Abrahamic  Sea.  I  summon  up  all  the  sorrows  and 
miseries,  all  the  grief  and  agony  endured  by  the  human 
race;  and  I  count  all  the  victims  of  death  resulting  from 
these  preventable  causes,  and  I  say  that  our  industrial 
system  has  killed  more  people,  has  crushed  more  hopes, 
has  bled  more  hearts,  and  blighted  more  lives,  than  any 
other  cause  in  the  history  of  the  world;  and  in  the  past  fifty 
years  it  has  been  more  potent  for  evil  than  all  other  causes 
combined  within  the  same  period  of  time. 

Individualism  is  responsible  for  all  the  wars  that  were 
ever  waged.  In  this  I  mean  that  every  war  has  been  the 
result  of  aggression  on  the  part  of  powerful  nations  to 
steal  the  wealth  of  weaker  nations,  and  the  territory  thus 
acquired,  and  the  wealth  accumulated  by  such  methods, 
have  not  been  enjoyed  by  the  masses  of  the  victorious  na 
tions,  but  by  a  few  individuals  who  planned  and  executed 
the  bloody  work.  Wars  of  defense  are  justifiable,  and  the 
people  who  fight  for  the  liberty  of  their  country  are  not 
instigated  by  a  spirit  of  avarice,  or  by  any  other  sordid 
motive,  but  they  are  inflamed  by  the  loftiest  inspirations 
that  ever  animated  a  human  soul.  Wars  of  defense  would 
be  impossible  were  there  no  wars  of  aggression,  and  the 
latter  being  the  child  of  individualism,  we  are  justified  in 
stating  that  individualism  is  responsible  for  every  drop  of 
blood  that  has  ever  crimsoned  a  battlefield,  for  all  the 
lives  that  have  been  extinguished  by  the  shining  sword, 
the  smoking  gun  and  the  deadly  cannon. 


\ 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  269 

To-day  our  flag  waves  over  the  citadels  of  Heron,  and 
a  million  sons  of  the  soil  have  been  sent  to  the  sombre 
grave  by  the  legions  of  Toadia,  who  came  as  agents  of 
civilization  and  in  the  name  of  God,  religion  and  human 
ity.  Before  the  occupancy  of  Heron  by  our  soldiers  there 
was  not  a  brothel  or  a  saloon  in  the  island;  and  to-day 
every  town  can  count  its  hosts  of  scarlet  women,  and  the 
distillers  and  brewers  of  this  country  can  scarcely  supply 
the  demands  of  the  thousands  of  sample  rooms,  where  the 
noxious  drug  is  sold  to  poison  the  hearts  of  the  people. 
And  all  this  in  the  name  of  God,  religion  and  humanity! 
To-day  the  powers  of  the  transarctic  world  are  lined  up  in 
battle  array  against  the  hosts  of  Nichan,  in  order  to  per 
meate  the  natives  of  that  benighted  land  with  the  germs  of 
sanctity.  Must  religion  be  supported  by  armies  and  na 
vies?  Then  it  is  not  religion.  Individualism  has  plunged 
the  nations  of  the  west  in  a  bloody  war  with  the  bronzed 
race  of  the  Orient. 

Dismantle  your  battle  ships  and  disband  your  armies; 
turn  your  swords  into  plough  shares,  and  your  spears  into 
pruning  hooks;  preach  the  fatherhood  of  God  and  the 
brotherhood  of  man;  and  prove  the  sincerity  of  your  doc 
trine  by  practicing  the  law  of  love  and  justice,  and  the 
mighty  hosts  who  bow  before  the  symbols  of  idolatry,  and 
worship  the  heroes  of  history,  will  throng  the  temple  of 
truth,  and  adore  the  Monarch  of  the  universe. 

The  sixth  commandment  forbids  impurity,  and  indi 
vidualism  enthrones  the  goddess  of  lust.  Many  men  are 
too  poor  to  support  a  wife,  and  the  wealthy  are  so  vitiated 
by  luxury  that  they  seek  pleasure  in  the  practice  of  polyg 
amy.  The  ancients,  with  dozens  of  wives,  were  angels  of 
purity  compared  with  the  roues  of  our  large  cities;  and 
the  debaucheries  of  civilized  nations  are  more  monstrous 
than  the  immoralities  of  pagan  countries.  Bethel,  the 
capital  of  a  country  where  polygamy  is  recognized  by  the 
law,  is  more  reputable  than  Lidda,  the  capital  of  this  high 
ly  cultured  commonwealtn.  Woman  is  dependent  and 
seeks  assistance  in  matrimony.  She  has  become  an  article 
of  merchandise,  and  she  is  sold  to  the  highest  bidder. 
Isias  says  that  in  those  days,  seven  women  shall  take  hold 
of  one  man,  each  begging  him  to  become  her  husband; 


270  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

and  we  now  live  in  an  age  when  seventy  women  pursue 
every  man  in  the  marriage  market.  The  young  ladies  of 
this  country  enter  into  undesirable  alliances  for  the  sake  of 
lucre,  financial  assistance  and  social  position.  These  wed 
dings  are  not  hallowed  by  the  breath  of  love,  and  the  nup 
tial  wreath  has  scarcely  withered  on  the  brow  of  the  bride 
when  clouds  of  sorrow  banish  the  light  of  joy  from  the 
home  of  the  young  couple,  and  divorce  is  the  next  chapter 
in  the  drama  of  their  lives.  They  divide  the  house,  one 
takes  the  inside,  the  other  the  outside. 

But  this  is  not  all.  There  are  thousands  of  girls  work 
ing  in  our  factories  and  stores,  with  a  salary  of  not  more 
than  three  or  four  dollars  per  week,  and  in  many  cases 
they  are  compelled  to  support  a  widowed  mother,  or  help 
her  to  sustain  a  number  of  young  children.  And  as  it  is 
impossible  to  accomplish  this  with  the  small  compensa 
tion  they  get  for  their  labor,  they  are  necessitated  to  seek 
the  assistance  of  gentlemen  friends,  and  their  purity  is 
sacrificed  to  secure  their  daily  food.  This  is  not  an  over 
drawn  picture.  It  is  a  common  occurrence  in  all  our  great 
cities. 

Virtue  can  only  flourish  in  an  atmosphere  of  purity. 
Millions  of  our  poor  are  compelled  to  live  in  one  room. 
Sometimes  whole  families  are  huddled  together,  without 
discrimination  of  sex.  Can  the  angel  of  purity  dwell  in 
such  habitations?  The  little  ones  are  inoculated  with  the 
virus  of  corruption  before  they  have  reached  the  years  of 
puberty,  and  they  enter  life  with  all  the  proclivities  of 
hardened  criminals.  Such  environments  are  detrimental 
to  corporal  and  spiritual  life.  In  our  tenement  districts, 
a  strong  rat  would  die  of  consumption  in  less  than  six 
months,  and  a  decent  dog  would  lose  his  dignity  in  a  few 
weeks.  And  do  you  think  that  it  is  the  will  of  God  for 
men  to  live  in  places  that  lead  to  moral  corruption  ?  Then 
why  not  give  these  people  an  opportunity  to  change  their 
environments,  and  inspire  them  with  moral  sentiments? 

The  seventh  commandment  forbids  stealing,  and  the 
law  of  competition  has  made  theft  a  necessity  in  all  trades. 
No  investment  is  safe,  and  a  reliable  man  is  an  anomaly. 
The  greatest  theft  is  perpetrated  on  labor.  The  poor  sup 
port  the  rich  and  pay  nearly  all  the  taxes  besides.  Their 


\ 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  2JI 

property  is  assessed  at  full  value,  whereas  the  property  of 
the  wealthy  is  estimated  at  one-fifth  its  cost.  There  is 'a 
plant  in  this  city  taxed  for  sixty-seven  thousand  dollars, 
and  it  cost  three  million  seven  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
dollars.  There  was  a  factory  burned  in  Engeddi  last  year, 
and  it  was  insured  for  three  hundred  thousand  dollars  and 
taxed  for  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

Stealing  is  one  of  the  arts  of  the  age,  and  its  devotees 
are  found  among  all  classes.  One  time  a  man  lost  his 
overcoat,  and  he  prayed  that  it  would  not  fall  into  the 
hands  of  a  thief,  a  lawyer  or  a  theologian.  The  thief,  he 
said,  would  keep  it  because  he  wants  it;  the  lawyer  would 
prove  that  he  had  a  legal  right  to  it,  and  the  theologian 
would  prove  that  he  had  a  divine  right  to  it. 

The  eighth  commandment  forbids  lying,  and  individu 
alism  has  made  this  a  profession.  The  merchant  lies  about 
the  value  of  his  commodities,  and  tells  the  customer  that 
he  is  selling  the  article  below  cost,  when  he  is  making  a 
large  profit.  The  politician  lies  about  the  remdies  which 
he  proposes  for  the  evils  of  the  age.  The  physician  lies 
about  his  skill,  the  lawyer  lies  about  the  nature  of  the  case 
that  he  pleads.  The  man  and  boy,  the  woman  and  the  girl, 
all  lie  to  get  along  in  life. 

The  tenth  commandment  forbids  us  to  covet  the  wealth 
of  others.  If  all  had  abundance,  and  no  one  could  be 
come  wealthy,  there  would  be  no  covetousness.  Pride, 
the  root  of  all  evil,  is  fostered  by  wealth,  and  envy,  anger, 
revenge,  gluttony,  luxury,  vanity,  and  all  the  blackest  pas 
sions  of  human  nature,  are  born  of  individualism.  It  en 
genders  the  midnight  assassin,  crowds  the  scaffold  with 
murderers,  fills  the  jails  with  miscreants,  drives  men  to 
insanity,  creates  our  asylums,  turns  man  against  man, 
changes  earth  into  an  haceldama,  and  makes'  life  a  living 
hell. 

Intemperance  comes  from  overwork  and  mental  anxie 
ty.  Saloons  are  established  for  profit,  and  competition  in 
the  business  leads  to  adulterations  which  destroys  mind 
and  body,  and  sends  the  victim  into  the  grave  or  the  in 
sane  asylum.  We  have  our  free  schools,  and  yet  illiteracy 
is  dense,  because  the  millions  of  poor  children  have  not 
the  clothes  to  wear  or  the  necessary  books;  and  even  when 


272  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

supplied  with  those,  -they  must  enter  the  factory  or  the 
sweat-shop,  at  the  early  age  of  twelve  years,  and  their  long 
hours  of  labor  render  future  study  and  reading  an  im 
possibility.  Individualism  has  engendered  religious  prej 
udices,  for  religion  has  been  used  for  obtaining  temporal 
advantages.  All  bloody  wars,  waged  in  the  name  of  re 
ligion,  have  been  created  by  selfish  motives.  Bigotry  has 
been  utilized  to  inflame  nations  against  nations,  in  the 
struggle  for  empire  and  wealth.  After  three  hundred 
years  of  carnage,  the  masses  of  the  people  are  beginning 
to  awaken  to  the  reality  of  the  situation.  Members  of  the 
various  denominations  have  used  the  influence  of  the 
Church  to  secure  positions  of  emolument;  and  sectarian 
hatred  and  religious  antipathies  have  been  fostered  in  the 
hearts  of  defeated  contestants. 

Destroy  the  struggle  for  existence,  and  religious  preju 
dices  will  wane.  Man  cannot  hate  his  fellow  man  for  his 
opinions,  unless  those  opinions  are  detrimental  to  his  in 
terests.  Men  have  never  fought  about  the  color  of  the 
clouds,  and  nations  have  never  been  involved  in  war  over 
the  ponderosity  of  the  sun;  for  the  clouds  rain  on  the  poor 
and  rich,  and  the  sun  shines  on  the  just  and  the  wicked, 
and  all  have  enjoyed  the  common  gifts. 

Socialism,  like  Protectionism  and  Liberalism,  has  no 
religion.  It  is  purely  a  question  of  economics.  The  charge 
that  many  Socialists  are  opposed  to  the  Church  is  easily 
understood,  when  we  reflect  that  the  Church  is  opposed 
to  them.  The  Church,  heretofore,  has  been  supported  by 
the  poor,  while  she  has  sacrificed  their  rights  to  the  ava 
rice  of  capital,  and  the  masses,  realizing  this  fact,  are  rap 
idly  drifting  away  from  the  faith,  and  in  a  few  years  more 
the  temple  of  God  will  be  abandoned. 

Socialism,  being  the  opposite  of  individualism,  is  an 
antidote  for  all  the  evils  we  have  enumerated.  It  teaches 
love  and  justice.  It  would  create  an  abundance  for  all. 
Under  a  system  of  just  distribution  there  would  be  no 
poverty.  Men  would  believe  in  God,  for  they  would  be  the 
recipient  of  His  bounty.  Under  Socialism,  men  will  see 
the  beneficence  of  the  Creator  in  every  leaf  of  vernal  wood, 
and  every  sheaf  of  golden  grain,  and  every  field  of  waving 
corn,  and  every  grove  of  yellow  fruit.  They  will  love  and 


i 


BEYOND  THE  BLRCK  OCEAN  273 

admire  the  Almighty  instead  of  blaspheming  His  holy 
name;  and  prayer  and  praise,  and  incense  and  song  and 
sacrifice,  will  arise  to  the  throne  of  Omnipotence.  There 
will  be  no  law-breaking,  for  laws  will  be  just  and  legisla 
tion  will  be  pure.  The  Sabbath  day  shall  be  sanctified, 
for  men  will  have  time  and  leisure,  and  with  joyful  hearts 
they  will  throng  the  temple  to  thank  God  for  all  the 
blessings  which  make  their  homes  comfortable  and  their 
lives  happy. 

Legal  murder,  arising  from  our  industrial  system,  will 
cease  and  Mars  will  vacate  his  throne.  Impurity  will  be 
almost  wiped  from  the  earth,  for  men  can  marry  without 
any  fear  of  the  future.  Love  will  bind  the  hearts  of  the 
bridal  pair,  and  reign  at  the  fireside;  and  happy  babes  will 
smile  in  their  mother's  arms,  and  return  the  devotion  of 
fond  parents.  Dishonesty  will  cease,  for  it  will  not  pay; 
falsehood  will  be  dethroned,  for  it  will  become  a  useless 
trade ;  and  truth,  so  long  persecuted,  will  arise  to  bless  the 
world  with  its  light. 

Luxury  and  waste  will  be  no  more,  idleness  will  be 
unknown.  Labor  will  become  a  law  for  all.  Politics  will 
be  purified,  for  sinecures  will  cease,  and  men  will  not  seek 
public  office,  when  they  can  earn  the  same  salary  in  other 
employments.  Crime  being  vastly  diminished,  prisons 
will  be  almost  empty;  the  police  force  will  be  wonderfully 
reduced;  educational  facilities  will  be  increased;  intelli 
gence  will  expand  and  religion  will  grow.  War  will  be 
abolished  and  taxation  will  be  a  mere  bagatelle.  There 
will  be  no  Strikes,  no  lockouts,  no  industrial  crises,  no 
adulterations,  no  needless  banking  and  insurance,  and  the 
nation  will  enter  into  the  golden  period  of  its  existence. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

A  number  of  circumstances  had  led  to  the  arrest  of 
Lord  Jesse  and  Elija  Murphy  for  the  murder  of  Teddy 
Einstein.  Hosts  of  friends  believed  that  Isaac  Gilhooley 


i74  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

was  innocent,  and  they  advanced  sufficient  funds  to  hunt 
down  the  guilty  parties.  Two  years  after  the  murder  it 
was  learned  that  Murphy  was  in  the  carriage  with  the  Geh- 
theimers  the  evening  the  murder  occurred.  Later  on, 
Levi  Sullivan,  a  hardware  merchant  on  Main  Street,  said 
that  he  had  made  two  keys  for  Murphy  a  few  days  before 
the  crime  wag  committed.  It  was  now  supposed  that  these 
keys  had  been  used  to  enter  the  rooms  of  the  editors,  and 
secure  the  garments,  which  were  afterwards  restored  in  a 
blood-stained  condition,  thus  throwing  suspicion,  on  Gil- 
hooley  and  his  companion. 

Reuben  Abden,  a  member  of  the  Soloman  Detective 
force,  was  in  the  park  one  evening  and  fell  into  conver 
sation  with  Simon  Heckler,  and  they  began  to  discuss  the 
murder  of  Einstein.  Heckler  said  that  he  was  at  the 
north  gate  of  the  park  that  evening,  about  ten  minutes 
past  eight  o'clock,  when  the  Gehtheimers  drove  up,  and 
Elija  Murphy  alighted,  with  a  small  valise  in  his  hand,  and 
took  the  car  to  the  city.  This  strengthened  the  suspicion 
that  Murphy  carried  the  blood-stained  garments  to  the 
hotel,  and  placed  them  in  the  rooms  of  the  editors  before 
their  return.  It  was  further  learned  that  Murphy  was 
not  in  the  carriage  when  it  entered  the  park.  By  follow 
ing  up  this  clue,  it  was  ascertained  that  Murphy  had  en 
tered  the  park  alone,  coming  in  a  street  car  to  the  gate. 

In  the  meantime,  Benjamin  Marx  had  ingratiated 
himself  with  the  Gehtheimer  family,  and  learned  from  the 
mother  that  Lord  Jesse  had  been  guilty  of  some  terrible 
crime,  but  she  refused  to  make  any  definite  statements. 
Marx  had  heard  that  Jesse  had  bought  a  villa  in  Rubek, 
and  was  living  in  princely  style.  He  related  this  to  Mrs. 
Gehtheimer,  adding  that  he  was  a  great  favorite  in  so 
ciety,  and  was  engaged  to  a  wealthy  baroness.  Airs. 
Gehtheimer  flew  into  a  rage,  and  said  that  she  would  have 
him  hanged  if  he  married.  "I  have  him  in  my  power,  and 
I  will  execute  my  vengeance!"  she  cried.  Mrs.  Reisan 
constantly  abused  Lord  Jesse,  but  never  intimated  that 
he  was  guilty  of  any  crime. 

Murphy  had  been  interviewed  from  time  to  time  by 
Isaac  O'Shanahan,  another  detective,  and  whenever  the 
murder  of  Einstein  was  mentioned,  Murphy  betrayed 


\ 


fcEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  275 

anxiety.  He  finally  left  the  city  and  went  to  Kedron, 
where  he  was  followed  by  a  detective,  and  all  his  move 
ments  were  scrutinized. 

Solomon  Levi  went  over  on  the  ship  with  Jesse  and 
Mrs.  Reisan,  and  he  looked  up  the  record  of  the  Danite. 
It  was  discovered  that  Jesse's  real  name  was  Isaac  Guis- 
man.  He  was  the  only  son  and  heir  of  a  wealthy  banker 
in  Dan,  and  had  received  an  excellent  education  in  the 
University  of  Hosea.  His  mother  died  when  Jesse  was 
twelve  years  of  age,  and  eight  years  later  he  lost  his  father. 
He  inherited  the  entire  wealth  of  the  family,  and  imme 
diately  affiliated  with  the  Queen's  Club,  whose  members 
were  famous  gamblers.  In  less  than  five  years  Jesse  had 
squandered  his  fortune.  He  then  became  a  forger,  and 
drew  immense  sums  on  the  names  of  the  best  business 
men  in  Dan.  He  was  an  expert  with  the  pen,  and  he  suc 
ceeded  so  well  in  imitating  the  chirography  of  his  victims 
that  they  were  compelled  by  law  to  recognize  the  checks. 
He  presented  a  check  on  Lord  Aran  for  the  sum  of  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  the  nobleman  was  com 
pelled  to  pay  it.  A  second  check  on  Aran  led  to  his  ar 
rest  and  he  was  condemned  to  imprisonment  for  life.  He 
was  afterwards  released  from  prison  by  Lord  Aran,  and 
several  other  prominent  men  in  Hosea.  A  few  days  after 
wards  he  sailed  for  Toadia,  on  the  same  ship  with  Aran 
and  Uriah,  and  was  entertained  with  those  gentlemen  at 
the  residence  of  Ezechias  Rosenberger. 

Ben  Neubaum,  who  was  the  coachman  for  the  Geh- 
theimer  family,  had  left  after  the  murder  of  Teddy  Ein 
stein,  and  it  was  not  known  where  he  had  gone,  till  years 
afterwards  he  was  discovered  by  Solomon  Levi  in  Dan, 
where  he  filled  the  position  of  porter  at  Lord  Uriah's 
castle.  Levi  interviewed  Ben  about  the  drive  in  the  park, 
and  the  latter  became  frightened,  and  said  that  he  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  murder  of  Teddy  Einstein.  Levi 
told  him  that  if  he  confessed  he  would  not  be  punished, 
but  if  he  persisted  in  his  denial  the  fact  would  be  proved 
on  him,  and  he  would  be  hanged  for  complicity  in  the 
crime.  With  the  assurance  of  protection,  Neubaum  made 
a  full  confession.  Armed  with  these  facts,  the  agency 
proceeded  to  have  the  culprits  arrested.  Jesse  and  Mur- 


276  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

phy  were  brought  back  to  Toadia  and  put  on  trial.  The 
facts  leading  up  to  the  arrest  were  substantiated  by  evi 
dence.  Neubaum  took  the  stand  and  testified  that  he 
drove  the  carriage  on  the  evening  that  Einstein  was  mur 
dered. 

"Lord  Jesse  and  Teddy  left  the  carriage  at  the  lagoon, 
about  a  quarter  to  eight  o'clock.  I  heard  a  faint  cry,  but 
never  suspected  that  there  was  any  trouble.  In  ten  or  fif 
teen  minutes  Lord  Jesse  returned  with  Elija  Murphy,  and 
Murphy  had  a  small  valise.  Mrs.  Gehtheimer  said,  'Did 
you  do  the  work  ?'  and  Lord  Jesse  said,  'It  is  all  over  now. 
We  must  get  away  quick.  Drive  to  the  north  gate.'  When 
we  reached  the  north  gate  Murphy  got  out  and  took  a 
street  car  going  toward  the  custom  house." 

Mrs.  Gehtheimer  was  called  to  give  her  testimony, 
and  when  cross-questioned  by  the  attorney  for  the  State, 
she  became  confused,  contradicted  herself  repeatedly,  and 
also  denied  statements  which  she  had  made  in  the  trial  of 
Isaac  Gilhooley,  and  finally  broke  down  and  confessed 
that  she  was  accessory  to  the  deed,  that  Lord  Jesse  had 
promised  to  marry  Lucile,  if  Teddy  were  not  in  the  way. 
Lucile  was  fondly  devoted  to  Teddy,  and  would  not  con 
sent  to  marry  Jesse.  "If  Teddy  were  removed,  I  thought 
that  Lucile  would  marry  Jesse,  and  when  he  proposed  to 
kill  Teddy,  that  he  might  have  no  rival  for  the  heart  of 
my  daughter,  I  acquiesced  and  co-operated  with  him.  He 
wrote  the  note  to  the  editors,  feigning  Teddy's  chirog- 
raphy,  and  signing  Teddy's  name,  and  planned  the  meet 
ing  at  the  monument.  He  also  wrote  the  note  that  was 
found  in  Teddy's  pocket,  and  signed  the  editors'  names  to 
it.  Teddy  was  not  aware  of  either  note.  After  Jesse  and 
Murphy  had  killed  Teddy  they  put  the  note,  which  was 
supposed  to  have  been  written  by  the  editors,  into  Teddy's 
pocket.  Murphy  met  us  at  the  lagoon,  and  after  the  mur 
der  was  committed,  he  took  Teddy's  place  in  the  carriage, 
and  we  drove  to  the  north  gate,  and  Murphy  took  a  car, 
and  hurried  back  to  the  hotel  to  put  the  blood-stained 
garments  in  the  rooms  of  the  editors,  before  they  would 
return.  He  used  the  keys  that  had  been  made  by  Mr.  Sul 
livan  to  enter  the  rooms.  We  thought  that  McGillicuddy 

and  Gilhooley  would  both  be  at  the  monument  at  the  ap- 

\ 


\ 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  277 

pointed  time,  and  would  be  convicted  for  the  murder  of 
Teddy  Einstein." 

Here  Mrs.  Gehtheimer  wept  bitterly,  and  denounced 
Jesse  as  the  incarnation  of  wickedness.  Judge  Tischen- 
dorf  of  Engeddi  defended  the  prisoners  and  his  defense 
was  the  triumph  of  his  life.  He  exerted  every  effort  to 
save  his  clients  and  visited  them  frequently  in  their  cells. 
The  trial  being  concluded,  the  jury  passed  sentence  of 
death  on  Isaac  Guisman  (alias  Lord  Jesse)  and  Elija  Mur 
phy  for  the  murder  of  Teddy  Einstein. 

Gehtheimer  and  his  wife  were  then  arrested  and  tried, 
and  were  condemned  to  imprisonment  for  life,  as  accom 
plices.  Thus  ended  the  mystery  which  had  clouded  the 
names  of  two  innocent  men  for  many  years.  This  was  a 
crowning  victory  for  "The  Flaming  Sword,"  and  the 
cause  of  Socialism.  The  hearts  of  the  people,  the  honest, 
law-abiding  citizens,  were  jubilant  over  the  result  of  the 
trial,  and  the  legal  exculpation  of  Isaac  Gilhooley. 

Though  the  masses  never,  for  a  moment,  suspected 
that  he  was  the  murderer  of  Teddy  Einstein,  yet  the 
proofs  were  against  him,  and  they  were  compelled  to  sub 
mit  to  the  verdict  of  the  law,  and  it  was  beyond  their 
power  to  purify  his  name  from  the  stigma.  None  were 
more  exultant  over  the  results  of  the  judicial  proceed 
ings,  which  justified  the  innocent  and  condemned  the 
guilty,  than  Isaac's  father  and  mother,  and  their  joy  was 
equally  shared  by  McGillicuddy  and  the  Einsteins.  There 
was  a  universal  jubilation  throughout  Toadia.  Isaac  Gil 
hooley  was  an  innocent  man,  and  the  God  of  justice  lifted 
the  veil  from  the  souls  of  the  hypocrites,  and  exposed  the 
iniquity  of  his  calumniators. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

McGillicuddy  was  discussing  the  turn  of  recent  events 
at  the  Einstein  home,  some  months  after  the  trial.  Judge 
Tischendorf  had  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  respite  of  ninety 


278  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

days  for  his  clients,  and  the  execution  would  not  take 
place  until  the  first  of  September. 

"It  seems  very  strange,"  said  Abraham,  "that  Lord 
Aran  and  Lord  Uriah  should  use  their  influence  to  re 
lease  Guisman  from  imprisonment." 

"Yes,  it  does  seem  strange,"  replied  Einstein.  "But  I 
presume  that  Guisman's  father  was  an  old  friend  of 
Aran's,  and  how  do  you  know  but  they  may  be  related?" 

"This  is  the  only  way  I  can  account  for  the  interest 
they  have  taken  in  the  case.  When  he  was  sentenced  to 
prison,  I  presume  that  Aran  relented,  and  pleaded  for 
him,  with  the  hope  that  his  narrow  escape  would  be  a  les 
son  to  him  during  the  rest  of  his  life." 

"It  is  remarkable,  too,"  said  Einstein,  "what  interest 
Tischendorf  has  taken  in  his  trial.  I  presume  that  Aran 
is  paying  for  all  this." 

"Oh !  you  may  be  sure  that  Tischendorf  is  not  work 
ing  for  glory.  He  is  not  a  man  of  that  character.  By  the 
way,  pardon  me  for  the  interruption,  but  Eisenheimer 
will  pay  a  visit  to  Toadia  during  the  month  of  June." 

"So  I  see  from  the  papers,  and  I  am  delighted  to  hear 
it.  I  received  a  letter  to-day  from  Biddy,  and  she  says 
she  will  come  over  on  the  same  ship  with  him." 

"And  dear  Biddy  is  coming  home  ?  Poor  child !  her 
life  has  been  full  of  sorrow." 

"It  has,  indeed.  But  she  is  completely  changed  since 
the  arrival  of  the  information  relative  to  the  trial.  Her 
letter  is  so  cheerful.  She  writes  that  while  she  never  en 
tertained  a  doubt  that  Isaac  was  not  guilty,  yet  she  could 
not  face  the  world  and  bear  the  unmerited  scorn  which  it 
heaped  on  his  memory;  and  hence,  she  sought  refuge 
among  strangers,  in  the  distant  regions  of  Arabia." 

"It  is  a  blessing  for  the  happiness  of  all  of  us  that  the 
agents  of  that  dastardly  deed  have  been  discovered." 

"Biddy  says  that  Eisenheimer  will  take  his  air-ship 
with  him  on  his  visit  to  Toadia." 

"That  will  be  a  curiosity  for  the  people  of  this  country. 
But  it  is  strange  that  he  does  not  come  over  in  his  air 
ship." 

"It  would  not  be  large  enough  for  his  retinue.    It  will 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  279 

hold  only  ten  or  twelve  persons,  whereas  there  will  be 
twenty  in  his  party." 

"I  suppose,  Mr.  Einstein,  that  you  have  noticed  in  the 
papers  that  the  governments  of  New  Israel  are  trying  to 
buy  the  pattern  of  the  air-ship,  and  the  secret  composi 
tions  of  the  bombs  ?" 

"I  observed  a  few  days  ago  that  the  empire  of  Zabulon 
and  Kurush  had  each  offered  Eisenheimer  a  hundred 
thousand  dollars." 

"Ah  !  but  there  is  later  news  in  the  Kidroni  dispatches. 
Dan  offered  ten  millions,  Reuben  six  millions,  Zabulon 
fifty  millions,  and  Kurush  has  gone  up  to  one  hundred 
million." 

"My  heavens !  if  that  man  would  sell,  he  would  be 
richer  than  Croesus." 

"Yes,  but  he  will  never  do  that.  He  intends  to  use 
his  power  for  the  disarmament  of  the  nations.  The  latest 
dispatches  state  that  he  contemplates  this  movement,  and 
as  soon  as  affairs  are  fully  settled  in<  Jonas,  he  will  exe 
cute  his  intentions,  and  issue  orders  to  the  governments 
of  the  earth  to  disarm  under  penalty  of  destruction  from 
the  demon  of  the  clouds." 

The  family  having  discussed  matters  of  general  inter 
est  with  the  young  reformer,  and  tea  being  over,  the  enam 
ored  youth  and  his  lovely  sweetheart  withdrew  to  the  par 
lor  to  speak  of  a  question  of  special  importance. 

"My  dear  Mary  Ann,"  said  Abraham,  "we  have  long 
known  each  other,  and  our  love  dates  from  the  day  of  our 
acquaintance.  Had  we  yielded  to  our  inclinations,  we 
would  have  been  wedded  long  ago;  but  circumstances 
caused  us  to  delay  our  union.  Let  love  triumph  and  let 
our  hearts  be  one.  I  am  now  in  a  position  to  live  in  com 
fort,  and  Socialism  is  so  well  rooted  in  the  country,  that  I 
can  have  more  leisure,  and  also  enjoy  more  of  the  plea 
sures  of  life.  If  you  have  no  objections,  my  darling,  we 
will  approach  the  altar  of  Hymen  on  the  fourth  of  June." 

The  blushing  maiden  threw  her  arms  around  her 
lover's  neck,  and  whispered : 

"O,  my  darling !  How  can  I  ever  love  you  as  you  de 
serve  !  You  are  the  idol  of  my  heart.  Your  thoughts  are 
my  thoughts,  your  will  my  will,  your  desire  my  desire." 


280  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

'Then,  my  sweet,  loving  girl,  we  shall  be  married 
three  weeks  after  the  arrival  of  your  sister." 

So  arrangements  were  made  for  the  wedding,  with  the 
approval  of  the  bride's  parents.  The  few  intervening 
weeks  rolled  away  and  the  family  were  busy  preparing  for 
the  reception  of  one  daughter,  after  a  long  absence  from 
home,  and  the  nuptials  of  the  other.  The  news  flashed 
across  the  wires  that  the  ship  from  South  Arabia  had  been 
sighted.  Carriages  were  rolling  down  the  streets  to  the 
wharf,  and  the  great  city  of  Deboreh  was  clad  in  gala 
robes  for  the  visit  of  the  renowned  Eisenheimer,  the 
champion  of  liberty  and  the  savior  of  civilization.  A  ten 
der  had  been  sent  out  to  meet  the  ocean  liner,  and  convey 
the  party  to  the  city.  A  band  of  music  poured  forth  pa 
triotic  airs  as  the  little  vessel  steamed  down  the  harbor ; 
flags  were  waving;  the  people  were  shouting;  bells  were 
ringing ;  pennons  were  floating,  and  the  entire  city  seemed 
to  crowd  the  dock  and  line  the  river  bank.  The  boat  was 
moored  to  the  wharf,  and  a  tall,  handsome  gentleman, 
with  a  full  black  beard,  escorting  a  beautiful  young  lady, 
stepped  on  the  gang  plank.  Ten  thousand  voices  cried 
out  : 

"Hurrah  for  Eisenheimer  !  Hurrah  for  the  champion 
of  liberty!" 

Moses  McKinley,  the  reigning  president,  with  Senator 
Martin  Hannon  and  Abraham  McGillicuddy,  advanced  to 
meet  the  hero  of  the  South  Arabian  Republic.  The 
young  lady  threw  herself  into  the  arms  of  Abraham,  and 
cried  out : 

"O,  my  brother!  My  only  brother  now!  how  glad  I 
am  to  see  you  !" 

Abraham  recognized  Miss  Einstein,  and  fondly  kissed 
her.  Then,  he  turned  to  the  gentleman  and  said  : 

"I  presume  that  this  is  Mr.  Eisenheimer?" 

The  stranger  smiled,  and  a  tear  rolled  down  his  cheeks, 
as  he  replied : 

"Abraham,  has  the  space  of  seven  years  so  completely 
transformed  my  appearance  that  the  friend  of  my  youth 
fails  to  recognize  the  companion  of  his  boyhood  days?" 

Abraham  drew  back,  and  his  face  donned  a  deathly 
pallor.  For  a  moment  he  could  not  speak.  His  friends  no- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  28l 

ticed  his  embarrassment,  and  asked  him  if  he  were  ill; 
but  he  treated  their  remarks  with  silence.  He  seemed  to 
be  in  a  stupor.  At  length  Biddy  exclaimed : 

"Abraham,  don't  you  know  your  old  associate,  the 
companion  of  your  early  struggles?" 

McGillicuddy  finally  rallied  from  the  shock,  and 
throwing  his  arms  around  the  stranger,  cried : 

"Isaac !  dear  Isaac !  We  had  mourned  your  death 
these  long,  long  years !  Thank  God  that  you  still  live  to 
bless  our  lives  with  your  bright  smiles,  to  bless  the  world 
with  your  virtue  and  genius !" 

Biddy  then  asked  for  her  parents  and  sister,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  they  made  their  way  through  the  dense 
throng  to  where  the  Einsteins  were  waiting  for  their 
daughter.  The  family  did  not  recognize  Gilhooley,  and 
at  first  addressed  him  as  Mr.  Eisenheimer.  When  they 
were  apprised  of  his  identity,  they  could  not  believe  the 
announcement.  They  were  appalled  by  the  unexpected- 
news,  and  Mrs.  Einstein  fell  into  a  swoon,  and  was  car 
ried  to  the  carriage  and  rapidly  driven  home.  The  tidings 
were  heralded  through  the  vast  assemblage  that  Eisen 
heimer  was  Gilhooley  in  disguise.  The  information  was 
borne  from  lip  to  lip,  and  in  an  hour  it  was  known  to 
every  person  in  Deboreh ;  and  before  the  sun  went  down 
the  news  was  flashed  over  the  wires  to  every  part  of  Toa- 
dia  and  to  every  civilized  country  in  the  trans-arctic  world. 

Moses  Gilhooley  and  his  wife  read  the  account  in  the 
Meron  Progress,  an  afternoon  paper,  but  they  could  not 
believe  the  report.  They  decided  to  wire  to  Abraham  for 
further  information,  when  a  messenger,  bearing  a  tele 
gram,  came  to  the  door.  Moses  opened  the  envelope  and 
read  the  following  message : 

"Dear  Mamma:  Your  lost  child  still  lives,  and  is 
known  to  the  world  as  Eisenheimer.  I  arrived  here  to 
day.  Will  be  down  to-morrow  evening.  Hear  that  my 
father  has  returned.  Give  him  my  love.  Your  devoted 
son,  Isaac  Gilhooley." 

The  aged  couple  were  overcome.  They  could  not  wait 
till  the  following  day,  but  took  the  next  train  which  left 
Meron  for  Deboreh,  and  arrived  there  early  that  same 
evening.  After  such  a  long  absence,  and  under  conditions 


282  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

so  peculiar,  the  meeting  of  the  son  and  his  parents  can 
better  be  imagined  than  described.  Isaac  had  never 
known  his  father,  having  lost  him  when  an  infant.  The 
father  had  not  seen  his  child  for  twenty-nine  years.  He 
was  then  a  babe  in  his  mother's  arms,  now  he  is  a  man, 
known  throughout  the  world.  Let  us  cast  a  veil  over  that 
meeting.  It  is  a  scene  that  surpasses  the  power  of  de 
scription. 

The  elder  McGillicuddy,  too,  hied  to  Deboreh,  when 
he  heard  the  news,  to  see  the  companion  of  his  son's  early 
struggle  for  human  liberty.  When  Mrs.  Einstein  recov 
ered  from  the  shock,  Biddy  explained  the  mystery  of 
Isaac's  career  since  his  escape  from  custody. 

"You  remember,"  she  said,  "that  people  thought  that 
Isaac  was  cremated  in  the  barn.  But  he  made  his1  escape 
and  went  out  West,  where  he  sought  refuge  in  the  moun 
tains  of  Moab.  For  several  years  he  pursued  the  life  of  a 
hunter.  He  knew  that  he  was  not  safe  until  he  reached 
some  country  beyond  the  western  waves.  But  how  could 
he  make  his  escape  ?  If  he  took  passage  on'  a  steamer, 
he  thought  that  he  would  be  captured,  for  being  ignorant 
of  the  finding,  of  the  skeleton  in  the  ruins  of  the  barn,  he 
presumed  that  the  authorities  were  searching  for  him  in 
every  town  and  city  and  port  in  the  nation.  He  conceived 
the  idea  of  inventing  an  air-ship,  that  he  might  defeat  the 
efforts  of  the  authorities,  and  seek  safety  in  flight  among 
the  clouds. 

"Having  completed  his  invention,  he  heard  of  the 
war  in  South  Arabia,  and  he  determined  to  utilize  his  ship 
to  the  advantage  of  the  Jonites  by  keeping  them  informed 
of  the  movements  of  the  Danish  army.  His  arrival  in 
Jonas  created  a  profound  sensation..  At  first  they  thought 
that  his  ship  had  been  sent  by  the  enemy  to  ascertain  their 
location  and  resources.  He  dropped  a  letter  from  the 
sky,  explaining  his  motives,  giving  a  history  of  his  in 
vention,  and  offering  his  assistance,  telling  them  to  wave 
a  flag  in  case  they  wished  to  accept  his  services.  The  let 
ter  was  read,  and  the  emblem  of  peace  floated  from  the 
walls  and  towers  of  Seda.  The  air-ship  came  down,  and 
Isaac  introduced  himself  as  Eisenheimer,  but  concealed 
his  nationality  and  antecedents.  His  proposals  were  ac- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  283 

cepted,  and  he  kept  on  the  wing  for  some  time,  watching 
the  movements  of  the  invaders. 

"He  then  conceived  the  idea  of  inventing  a  bomb  to 
hurl  from  the  ship,  and  as  the  natives  had  all  the  materials 
essential  for  the  work,  he  was  not  long  in  realizing  his 
dream  of  wiping  out  the  Danish  empire.  When  Zapling 
was  evacuated  by  the  enemy,  I  had  heard  that  the  murder 
ers  of  Teddy  were  convicted,  and  I  decided  to  return  home 
on  the  same  ship  with  Eisenheimer,  not  knowing  that  he 
was  Isaac.  When  the  ship  left  port  I  saw  Isaac,  but  did 
not  recognize  him,  for  his  full  beard  had  so  completely 
changed  his  appearance.  The  second  day  after  we  left 
Jonas,  he  observed  me,  and  he  said,  'Is  it  possible !  Surely 
this  is  Biddy  Einstein?'  I  was  astonished  to  be  thus  ac 
costed  by  the  hero  of  the  South  Arabian  Republic.  I 
looked  at  him  in  astonishment,  and  replied,  'That  is  my 
name.  Have  we  ever  met  before?'  'My  dear  girl,  no 
doubt  you  have  long  mourned  me  as  dead,'  he  replied, 
'but  I  am  still  living,  and  my  hopes  to  see  you  again  are 
at  last  realized.  I  am  your  affianced  lover,  Isaac  Gil- 
hooley.'  You  may  surmise  the  situation  better  than  I  can 
portray  it  in  language.  My  joy  was  so  intense  I  thought 
I  should  die.  I  wished  to  communicate  the  news  to  you, 
but  we  were  on  the  deep.  We  spent  the  days  of  our  voy 
age  in  recounting  our  experiences,  and  laying  plans  for 
the  future.  Isaac  had  read  in  the  papers  of  the  trial  of  the 
murderers,  and  the  confession  of  Mrs.  Gehtheimer  and 
Neubaum,  and  hence  he  had  no  reason  now  to  conceal  his 
identity,  or  absent  himself  from  the  land  of  his  nativity." 

Within  a  few  weeks  after  the  arrival  of  Gilhooley  there 
was  a  double  wedding.  Miss  Mary  Ann  Einstein  was 
made  Mrs.  McGillicuddy,  and  Miss  Biddy  was  led  to  the 
bridal  altar  by  the  hero  who  had  hurled  bolts  of  vengeance 
from  the  clouds  on  the  mightiest  empire  of  modern  times, 
and  like  the  martial  angels  of  the  Ancient  Testament,  lib 
erated  a  noble  race  of  men  from  the  chains  of  bondage. 

Abraham  McGillicuddy  purchased  a  residence  in  the 
East  End,  where  he  took  his  bride  after  their  marriage, 
and  Isaac  made  his  home  with  his  father-in-law,  Mr.  Pat 
rick  Einstein. 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

The  Social  Democrats,  the  Socialist  Labor  party,  and 
the  Nationalists  united  their  forces  and  held  their  conven 
tion  at  Lidda,  in  June,  1864.  Isaac  Gilhooley  was  present 
and  delivered  a  great  speech  in  support  of  co-operation. 

"Gentlemen,"  he  said,  "some  people  say  that  competi 
tion  is  the  life  of  trade,  is  the  incentive  to  exertion,  and  its 
elimination  from  society  means  the  decay  and  death  of  the 
commonwealth.  If  competition  is  essential  to  the  devel 
opment  of  society,  then  it  must  be  a  factor  in  the  develop 
ment  of  vegetable  and  animal  life.  Why  does  the  farmer 
plow  his  field?  Why  does  he  not  let  the  corn,  compete 
with  the  weeds  ?  Why  does  he  improve  the  fertility  of  his 
land  with  manure  and  other  substances?  Why  does  he 
let  his  fields  rest  a  few  years,  or  plant  them  with  crops  that 
do  not  exhaust  the  fertility  of  the  soil  ?  Why  does  he  pre 
serve  the  breed  of  his  stock  ?  Why  does  the  horticulturist 
protect  his  flowers  from  the  chilly  blast  of  winter  ?  Why 
not  let  the  fragile  plants  compete  with  the  biting  frosts 
and  withering  snows? 

"If  the  agriculturist  allowed  competition  free  sway,  his 
meadows  would  be  filled  with  a  useless,  noxious  growth, 
that  would  destroy  every  blade  of  grass  in  the  struggle  for 
existence.  Liberals  and  Protectionists  speak  of  the  har 
mony  between  labor  and  capital.  There  can  be  no  har 
mony  between  opposing  forces,  for  the  existence  of  one 
depends  on  the  destruction  of  the  other.  Capital  and  la 
bor  are  like  two  boys  playing  see-saw,  one  must  go  up 
when  the  other  goes  down.  The  Protectionist  and  Lib 
eral  papers  are  always  on  the  side  of  labor  before  election, 
and  always  on  the  side  of  capital  after  election'.  When 
there  is  a  strike,  these  papers  show  their  real  animus. 
They  cry  for  the  blood  of  the  poor  man,  and  call  on  the 
public  to  arm  themselves  and  shoot  down  the  strikers. 

"The  other  day  a  man  asked  me  what  I  would  do  with 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  285 

tramps  under  Socialism.  What  do  you  do  with  tramps 
under  the  competitive  system?  You  let  them  starve.  Un 
der  Socialism  there  would  be  no  tramps.  A  large  number 
of  people  are  tramps  because  they  cannot  get  work.  A 
vast  number  cannot  get  work  that  they  can  perform.  Some 
were  clerks  or  bookkeepers  or  mechanics,  and  having  lost 
their  positions,  they  are  unable  to  perform  the  hard  labor 
of  the  railroad  section  hand.  Some  are  tramps  because 
they  were  discouraged  by  long  hours  of  laborious  toil 
with  insufficient  remuneration.  Some  have  become  hard 
ened  by  the  asperities  of  the  world.  Some  few  are  dis 
honest,  ±>ut  the  public  is  not  aware  of  this  fact,  and  gives 
them  a  support.  Some  were  born  tired,  because  their 
mothers  labored  like  galley  slaves  during  gestation,  and 
the  unborn  foetus  has  been  impregnated  with  ennui  and 
lassitude,  and  comes  into  the  world  cursed  with  physical 
debility.  Under  Socialism  the  working  day  would  be  re 
duced  to  two  hours,  and  there  would  be  labor  for  all,  with 
a  just  compensation,  and  your  tramps  would  disappear 
from  the  nation. 

"But  the  capitalist  says  that  there  would  be  no  emula 
tion  under  a  Socialistic  form  of  government?  When  men 
have  all  they  want,  they  will  not  exert  themselves.  The 
capitalists  of  the  world  have  all  they  want,  and  a  great  deal 
more  than  they  can  use.  In  fact,  their  wealth  is  a  burden 
to  them,  and  still  they  do  not  cease  to  exert  themselves. 
Public  approval  would  be  the  incentive  to  exertion.  The 
laborer  would  invent  some  machine  which  would  reduce 
the  hours  of  toil  for  himself  and  his  fellow  men  and  he 
would  become  the  hero  of  his  craft,  a  star  in  the  galaxy  of 
the  nation's  great  names.  He  would  be  pensioned  and 
thus  enabled  to  devote  his  genius  to  the  promotion  of 
mechanical  skill,  which  would  be  utilized  for  the  ameliora 
tion  of  the  human  race.  Machinery  is  now  used  for  the 
advancement  of  capital,  and  the  degradation  of  labor,  and 
the  inventor  is  robbed  of  the  fruits  of  his  genius  for  the 
personal  aggrandizement  of  the  employer.  The  man  who 
would  invent  a  new  method  for  conducting  business,  or 
would  introduce  some  innovation  that  would  enhance  the 
wealth  of  society  and  redound  to  the  glory  of  the  nation, 


286  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

would  be  recognized  as  a  public  benefactor,  and  his  statue 
would  be  enshrined  in  the  temple  of  fame. 

"What  interest  would  it  be  to  the  government  to  build 
a  railroad?  says  the  capitalist.  What  interest  was  it  to  the 
government  to  establish  the  postal  system,  the  public 
school,  the  army  and  navy — all  Socialistic  enterprises? 
Some  one  would  agitate  the  building  of  a  road  through  a 
certain  section  of  the  country.  Others  would  take  up  the 
question,  and  soon  it  would  assume  national  importance. 

"Socialism  is  opposed  because  it  is  a  step  forward.  Prog 
ress  has  always  been  opposed  'by  a  very  large  percentage 
of  the  people  known  as  the  conservative  element.  Dan 
and  Zabulon  opposed  the  Grereinan  calendar  for  two  hun 
dred  years,  and  Kurush  has  not  yet  adopted  it.  When  the 
Royal  Society  introduced  this  calendar  into  the  Senate  in 
1752,  the  fellows  of  that  learned  association  were  pursued 
and  cursed  on  the  streets  by  the  ignorant  rabble  who 
claimed  that  the  new  method  of  dividing  time  had  robbed 
them  of  eleven  days  of  their  lives.  Serpek  was  banished 
from  Zabulon,  because  he  advocated  the  theory  that  the 
sun  is  the  central  figure  in  the  solar  system.  Herob  was 
driven  from  Samaria,  and  his  observatory,  which  cost  two 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  was  destroyed.  The  people  be 
lieved  that  astronomy  was  a  black  art.  Kassed  was  per 
secuted  in  Asher,  and  the  Marquis  of  Mersen  in  Dan,  for 
their  scientific  acquisitions. 

"When  the  fanning  mill  for  winnowing  grain  was  in 
troduced  into  Galilee,  the  Church  condemned  it  as  being 
in  league  with  the  prince  of  the  power  of  air,  for  the  Bible 
says,  'The  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth.'  The  study  of 
geology  was  condemned  for  centuries.  Hycor  discovered 
the  circulation  of  blood,  and  the  people  tore  down  his 
house,  and  stoned  him  in  the  public  road.  Nerjen  and 
Sonmis  discovered  inoculation,  vaccination  and  anaesthe 
sia,  and  they  were  condemned  as  being  the  agents  of  hell 
to  defy  the  power  of  heaven.  The  preachers  denounced 
lightning  rods,  claiming  that  they  disturbed  the  equilibri 
um  of  heaven,  and  the  great  earthquake  of  1775  was  at 
tributed  to  this  diabolical  invention.  An  Engeddi  clergy 
man  called  it  a  contrivance  for  tampering  with  the  execu 
tion  of  divine  wrath.  The  first  steamboat  that  appeared  in 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  287 

the  Danish  channel  was  called  the  Devil's  boat.  The  news 
was  rapidly  spread  abroad  that  hell  was  turned  loose,  and 
was  floating  on  the  sea.  The  clergy  took  up  the  cry  of 
the  vulgar  herd,  and  said  that  since  God  had  separated 
fire  and  water  in  the  beginning,  no  man  had  a  right  to  mix 
them  and  make  them  work  together.  Some  called  it  the 
leviathan  mentioned  in  the  Book  of  Job.  The  Academy 
of  Science  in  Simeon,  consulted  by  Ozias,  called  it  a  sad 
notion,  a  gross  delusion,  an  absurdity.  The  first  steam 
boat  of  Tanluf  sailed  up  the  Sanan  River  on  the  I7th  of 
August,  1805,  and  a  convention  of  preachers  assembled 
in  Rehor,  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  boat  was  the 
beast,  with  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  making  a  total  of 
seventeen,  which  was  designated  by  the  seventeenth  of  the 
month. 

"There  are  many  cases  on  the  other  side  of  the  earth 
where  science  has  been  persecuted,  and  great  men  have 
been  sacrificed  to  popular  prejudice.  Socrates  was  put  to 
death,  Anaxagoras  was  imprisoned.  Aristotle  was  com 
pelled  to  seek  safety  in  flight.  Gerbert  was  abhorred  as 
a  magician.  Roger  Bacon  languished  in  a  dungeon  for 
many  years.  Virgilius  was  condemned  for  teaching  the 
existence  of  the  antipodes.  Savonarola  lost  his  life  in 
trying  to  save  Florence  from  moral  putrefaction,  and  Co 
lumbus,  after  braving  wind  and  wave,  was  brought  back 
in  chains  as  a  criminal,  and  having  added  a  new  world  to< 
the  empire  of  Spain,  died  in  poverty  and  distress. 

"Socialism  will  give  every  man  an  opportunity.  It  will 
make  all  men  free  and  equal.  Under  it,  there  will  be  no 
privileged  class,  and  this  is  why  it  has  been  so  obstinately 
opposed.  My  friends,  civilization  progresses  with  the 
preservation  of  mental  energies,  and  mental  energies  are 
wasted  by  maintenance  and  conflict.  Vast  wealth  on  one 
side  and  degrading  poverty  on  the  other  engender  a  class 
struggle.  The  rich  are  vitiated  by  luxury,  and  the  poor 
are  demoralized  by  poverty.  The  rich  spend  their  time  in 
seeking  pleasure  and  in  keeping  down  the  poor;  and  the 
poor  spend  their  time  in  supporting  themselves  and  their 
masters,  and  fighting  for  their  fredom. 

"Vast  inequalities  beget  conflict  and  increase  the  bur 
den  of  maintenance  and  retard  the  wheel  of  progress  and 


288  BEYOND  THE  BLACKOCEAN 

destroy  civilization.  Look  back  into  the  shadows  of  the 
lost  ages,  and  what  do  you  behold?  The  tombs  of  fallen 
empires  and  extinct  races.  Behold  the  glory  of  ancient 
Syria,  behold  the  splendor  of  Babylon  and  'Nineveh  with 
their  massive  walls  and  brazen  gates,  and  minarets  and 
towers  and  pinnacles  that  glistened  in  the  golden  sheen  of 
the  tropical  sky;  and  where  are  they  to-day?  When  Baby 
lon  went  down,  two  per  cent  of  her  population  owned  all 
the  wealth,  and  the  masses  were  starved.  When  Persia 
fell  beneath  the  sword  of  doom,  one  per  cent  of  the  popu 
lation  owned  all  the  land.  Let  us  leave  the  valley  of  the 
Tigris  and  go  to  the  valley  of  the. Nile,  and  behold  the 
glory  of  ancient  Egypt,  with  her  schools  and  libraries  and 
temples  and  pyramids  that  were  swept  by  the  wandering 
clouds.  When  Egypt  perished  two  per  cent  of  her  popu 
lation  owned  ninety-seven  per  cent  of  her  wealth. 

"The  eagle  of  progress  perched  on  the  rocks  of  the 
Mediterranean,  and  the  Phoenician  confederation  became 
the  sun  and  center  of  civilization,  spreading  the  rays  of 
light  upon  every  country,  from  the  land  of  frozen  streams 
to  the  billows  of  the  south  sea.  But  wealth  and  poverty 
led  her  to  ruin;  she  now  lives  only  in  the  song  of  the  bard. 
The  star  of  genius  arose  like  a  goddess  from  the  wild 
Aegian  flood  that  swept  the  rock  of  Attica  and  covered 
every  land,  and  every  wave,  with  the  glory  of  its  sheen. 
The  harp  of  the  Muse  mingled  with  the  sigh  of  the  wind 
and  the  wail  of  the  woods,  the  whisper  of  the  trees  and  the 
voice  of  the  groves.  O  Greece!  land  of  poetry  and  elo 
quence,  home  of  sages  and  heroes,  hallowed  by  the  sacred 
memories  that  cluster  around  thy  fountains  and  glide 
along  thy  streams !  O  Hellas,  consecrated  by  the  song  of 
Apollo,  whose  lyre  filled  the  lonely  mountain  dell  with 
echoes  weird  and  dim,  and  charmed  the  rocks  of  wild 
Parnassus  with  the  magic  of  its  sound,  and  held  the  world 
entranced  around  Castalia's  silvery  brook  nestled  in  the 
shade  of  Helicon!  Thy  ancient  glory  is  lost  and  thou 
hast  vanished  from  the  galaxy  of  nations;  and  inequality 
is  the  cause  of  thy  ruin.  The  Imperial  City  arose  on  the 
borders  of  the  Tiber,  and  the  Roman  Eagles  swept  every 
land  and  every  sea  till  the  throne  of  the  Caesars  ruled  the 
world.  In  the  days  of  her  supremacy  one  thousand  eight 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  289 

hundred  owned  the  Roman  empire,  and  the  City  of  the 
Twins  fell  beneath  the  iron-clad  hoofs  of  the  Northman's 
battle  steed. 

"On  this  side  of  the  Black  Ocean,  we  have  witnessed 
the  same  facts.  The  republics  of  Nichhan  surpassed  the 
splendor  of  Dan  and  the  wealth  of  Toadia,  and  they  have 
long  since  vanished  from  the  theater  of  national  glory. 
Five  hundred  years  ago,  Perea  was  the  brightest  star  in 
the  constellation  of  nations,  and  she  has  waned  and  faded 
from  the  sky  of  the  east.  At  the  dawn  of  the  Sixteenth 
Century,  Reuben  was  the  dominant  power  of  the  trans- 
arctic  world.  Her  ships  had  broken  the  waves  on  every 
sea,  her  sails  had  been  unfurled  beneath  the  blue  of  every 
sky,  and  the  sun  in  his  daily  course  around  the  earth  never 
set  on  her  vast  dominions.  But  the  unequal  distribution 
of  wealth  has  brought  her  to  the  verge  of  ruin,  and  she 
will  soon  take  her  place  among  the  ruined  empires  of  an 
tiquity.  The  same  conditions  prevailed  in  Simeon  at  the 
end  of  the  Eighteenth  Century;  but  the  Revolution  broke 
down  the  power  of  the  aristocracy,  divided  the  wealth  of 
the  nation,  and  saved  the  kingdom  from  impending  doom. 

"Dan  and  Galilee  and  other  nations  in  the  north  of 
New  Israel  were  yet  barbarous  and  their  resources  had 
not  been  developed,  and  their  wealth  had  not  yet  been 
monopolized,  when  the  southern  nations  were  at  the 
zenith  of  their  glory,  and  thus  they  have  not  yet  shown 
the  signs  of  decay.  But  their  hour  is  fast  approaching, 
and  the  same  fate  will  overtake  them,  as  we  have  witnessed 
elsewhere.  Let  us  awaken  to  the  reality  of  the  conditions 
which  surround  us,  and  assume  the  responsibility  of  citi 
zenship  and  discharge  our  obligations  to  society. 

"The  capitalists  say  that  under  Socialism  our  powers  of 
productivity  would  be  multiplied  twenty-fold,  and  that  we 
would  have  too  much,  and  that  that  would  be  worse  than 
starving.  If  men  are  not  constantly  employed  they  will 
become  inert  and  slothful,  and  civilization  will  retrograde. 
These  people  presume  that  man  is  actuated  solely  by  cor 
poral  desires,  and  forget  the  existence  of  the  human  mind. 
The  sublimity  of  the  human  soul  shines  forth  in  all  the 
works  of  the  human  race.  It  shines  forth  in  the  grand 
periods  of  Demosthenes,  who  electrified  the  statesmen  of 


290  LEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

Greece,  and  in  the  eloquent  flights  of  Cicero  who  held  in 
his  hand  the  mighty  heart  of  Rome.  It  shines  forth  in  the 
brush  of  Raphael  and  Angelo,  who  gave  the  canvas  life 
and  speech  and  sketched  the  smile  and  frown.  It  shines 
forth  in  the  chisel  of  Phidias  and  Praxiteles  who  carved 
the  tear  and  sigh  and  made  the  marble  laugh  and  weep. 
It  shines  forth  in  the  visions  of  Daniel  and  the  dreams  of 
Isaias,  in  the  lyre  of  Homer  and  the  harp  of  Milton.  It 
shines  forth  in  the  strains  of  Ohias  and  Zekel,  who  have 
thrilled  the  world  with  waves  of  symphony  and  floods 
of  harmony.  The  majesty  of  the  human  soul  beams  forth 
in  all  the  works  of  art,  in  all  the  achievements  of  science, 
in  all  the  trophies  of  progress,  in  all  the  thoughts  and  in 
all  the  dreams,  in  all  the  raptures  and  in  all  the  ecstasies, 
in  all  the  flights  of  fancy,  and  in  all  the  visions  of  glory 
that  have  made  the  golden  page  in  the  history  of  the 
world. 

"The  mind  of  man  is  not  circumscribed  by  space  or 
time.  It  lives  in  every  age  and  roams  through  every  world. 
It  has  flown  on  the  wings  of  thought  to  those  distant  stars 
whose  rays  have  struggled  through  the  long  aeons  to 
reach  the  atmosphere  that  envelops  the  earth.  It  has  dis 
covered  that  those  faint  specks  of  light  that  twinkle  in  the 
distant  skies  are  glittering  orbs  and  dazzling  suns.  It  can 
sweep  through  all  the  boundless  realms  of  space,  and 
weigh  all  the  globes  and  measure  all  the  spheres.  It  can 
touch  all  the  worlds  and  planets  and  constellations  that 
wander  through  those  vast  realms  where  no  sound  has 
ever  broken  the  deep  silence  of  premundane  existence. 

"The  human  mind  can  soar  beyond  flaming  space,  be 
yond  etherial  zones,  beyond  those  dark  regions  where  no 
sun  has  ever  cast  his  golden  beams,  and  where  night  black 
and  awful  has  hung  his  sable  curtain.  Let  all  the  powers 
of  government,  let  all  the  forces  of  society,  be  utilized  in 
the  development  of  our  national  genius. 

"Poverty  has  robbed  the  world  of  millions  of  great 
minds.  Many  a  Homer  has  died  in  the  furrow,  and  be 
queathed  no  legacy  to  the  human  race.  Many  a  Raphael 
has  spent  his  life  in  the  obscurity  of  his  rural  home,  or  has 
perished  in  the  alleys  of  the  world's  great  cities,  and  left  no 
monument  to  future  ages.  The  development  of  genius 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  29 1 

depends  on  opportunities  for  thought  and  study,  and  our 
industrial  system  gives  these  advantages  only  to  a  favored 
few,  and  perhaps  not  to  the  brightest  intellects  of  every 
age.  Among  the  millions  of  men  whose  records  are  not 
written  on  the  page  of  history  there  must  have  been  some 
mighty  minds.  Let  us,  therefore,  emancipate  the  human 
soul  from  the  bondage  of  incessant  toil,  and  our  country 
will  be  filled  with  philosophers  and  scientists,  poets  and 
orators,  painters  and  sculptors.  We  will  collect  the  glory 
of  all  past  centuries ;  the  genius  of  all  the  buried  ages  will 
be  concentrated  in  our  land.  We  will  follow  the  eagle  of 
progress  in  her  flight  beyond  the  glittering  stars;  bands 
of  shining  angels  will  sing  the  glory  of  our  triumphs,  and 
the  smiles  of  God  will  light  up  all  the  realm,  from  the 
frozen  bank  of  the  Keron  to  the  golden  sands  of  the 
southern  gulf." 

When  Gilhooley  concluded  his  speech,  the  immense 
throng  went  wild  with  enthusiasm.  Mr.  Lohman  made  a 
motion  that  Gilhooley  be  nominated  President,  and  this 
was  seconded  by  Mr.  Merman,  and  carried  without  a  dis 
sentient  voice.  McGillicuddy  was  then  nominated  Vice 
President.  The  convention  decided  to  adopt  a  platform 
embodying  the  municipal  ownership  of  light,  water,  elec 
tric  railways,  and  other  public  conveniences,  the  national 
ownership  of  railways,  the  adoption  of  a  labor  dollar  as 
legal  tender  for  all  debts,  the  same  to  be  used  in  purchas 
ing  the  industries  of  the  nation,  and  direct  legislation. 
According  to  this  latter  provision,  no  law  could  become  a 
legal  enactment,  till  put  before  the  public,  within  two 
months  from  the  adjournment  of  the  legislature  in  case 
of  a  State  law,  or  Congress  in  case  of  a  national  law,  and 
corroborated  by  a  plurality  of  the  legal  voters.  The  dele 
gates  decided  to  abandon  their  old  party  lines  and  names, 
and  to  be  known  in  the  future  as  the  Socialist  party.  Thus 
Socialism,  pure  and  simple,  became  the  slogan  of  battle. 


292  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

The  return  of  Isaac  Gilhooley  created  a  sensation  in 
Deboreh  and  throughout  Toadia,  and  the  identity  of  the 
skeleton  found  in  the  barn  now  agitated  the  people  again. 
Since  it  was  learned,  during  the  trial  of  Jesse,  that  his  real 
name  was  Isaac  Guisman,  every  one  concluded  that  the 
silver  match  case,  with  the  initials  "I.  G.,"  found  in  the 
barn,  was  the  property  of  Jesse,  and  this  led  to  the  suspi 
cion  that  he  was  connected  with  the  murder  of  the  un 
known  victim. 

Mr.  Reisan  had  mysteriously  disappeared  at  the  time, 
and  had  never  been  seen  since,  and  as  his  wife  had  eloped 
with  Jesse  afterward,  strong  suspicion  pointed  to  Mrs. 
Reisan,  and  she  was  arrested  for  complicity  in  the  murder 
of  her  husband.  She  claimed  that  Reisan  was  still  living, 
but  she  could  not  say  where  he  was  located,  and  could  not 
give  a  satisfactory  answer  to  the  simplest  questions  rela 
tive  to  the  disappearance  of  her  husband.  She  said  that 
he  had  left  her  because  of  her  infatuation  for  Jesse,  and 
since  then  she  had  not  heard  from  him.  The  jury  passed 
sentence  of  life  imprisonment  on  her  for  complicity  in  the 
death  of  Reisan. 

Judge  Tischendorf  was  a  constant  visitor  to  the  cell  of 
Guisman,  and  tried  to  get  a  new  trial,  but  failed,  and  the 
day  of  the  execution  was  near  at  hand. 

When  the  hope  of  liberty  was  haunting  the  minds  of 
Guisman  and  Murphy  and  Mrs.  Reisan,  and  when  the  So 
cialists  were  working  for  the  triumphs  of  equality,  ideas 
of  quite  a  different  complexion  were  being  discussed  in 
the  stately  palace  of  Ezechias  Rosenberger.  Lord  Aran 
and  Lord  Uriah  had  come  to  Engeddi  to  deliberate  with 
the  money  kings  over  means  of  promoting  the  interests  of 
the  monarchy  in  the  west,  and  saving  the  throne  of  Dan. 
Lord  Aran  proposed  that  it  was  now  time  to  proclaim  the 
eight  year  term.  "You  can  easily  do  this,  and  this  is  the 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  293 

only  method  of  rescuing  royalty  from  the  wave  of  destruc 
tion  which  now  threatens  the  kings  of  the  earth.  Mur- 
murings  of  discontent  resound  throughout  New  Israel, 
and  if  Toadia  throws  her  influence  in  the  right  direction, 
the  question  will  be  decided." 

"But  the  people  will  rebel,  and  if  we  turn  the  army 
loose  on  them,  they  will  gather  around  Gilhooley,  and  he 
will  bring  his  ship  from  Arabia  to  hurl  bolts  of  death  from 
the  clouds,  and  the  fate  of  Toadia  will  be  forever  sealed, 
and  the  history  of  empire  will  be  inhunied  beneath  the 
wreck  of  revolution." 

"Ah !  Rosenberger,  you  are  a  coward,  and  besides  you 
do  not  understand  the  people.  Pay  the  press  to  write 
glowing  accounts  of  the  administration,  and  the  danger  of 
a  change  at  the  present  crisis  when  thrones  are  tottering, 
and  you  will  find  that  seventy-five  per  cent  of  the  people 
will  be  deluded  and  step  into  our  ranks." 

"Lord  Aran,"  said  Lord  Uriah,  "how  would  it  do  to 
feel  the  pulse  of  the  people  through  the  press,  and  in  the 
meantime  we  can  gather  our  forces  and  transport  the 
army  from  the  Moabitic  waves  to  assist  us  in  case  of  re 
bellion." 

"That  is  it,  Lord  Uriah!"  exclaimed  all.  "You  have 
proposed  the  right  plan,  and  it  will  succeed  admirably." 

The  scheme  was  unanimously  adopted.  Communica 
tions  were  forwarded  to  the  great  corporations  and  jour 
nalists  of  the  nation  to  assemble  in  Engeddi,  where  a  meet 
ing  was  to  be  held  to  weigh  questions  of  vast  moment  to 
the  Republic.  Every  precaution  was  taken  to  avoid  pub 
licity.  The  meeting  was  clandestine,  reporters  were  ex 
cluded  and  the  matter  was  thoroughly  discussed,  and 
within  a  period  of  two  weeks  the  people  were  startled  by 
an  editorial  in  the  Deboreh  World,  advocating  the  neces 
sity  of  an  eight-year  term.  Every  leading  capitalist  paper 
in  the  nation  adopted  the  views  of  the  World. 

But  the  plan  was  a  total  failure.  The  public  was  roused 
and  flew  to  arms  and  threatened  to  wade  through  rivers  of 
blood  in  defense  of  their  time-honored  rights.  When  the 
excitement  was  at  its  height,  the  press  announced  the  ar 
rest  of  Mike  Gedeon  and  Sam  Ackron  as  principals,  and 
Ezachrias  Rosenberger,  Judge  Tischendorf,  Simon  Lue- 


294  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

meyer,  Lord  Aran  and  Lord  Uriah  as  accessories  in  the 
blowing  up  of  the  battleship  Tyre.  Further  information 
was  detailed  that  those  arrests  had  been  made  on  the  con 
fession  of  Guisman  and  Murphy,  who,  with  Gedeon  and 
Ackron,  had  been  employed  by  Rosenberger,  Aran, 
Uriah,  Tischendorf  and  Luemeyer  to  execute  the  deed. 

The  country  was  astonished  to  learn  that  Samuel  Lue 
meyer  had  turned  State's  evidence.  In  his  confession  he 
revealed  the  secret  of  the  plot  to  overthrow  the  Republic 
of  Toadia,  and  establish  a  monarchy ;  and  for  this  purpose 
Aran,  Uriah,  Tischendorf,  Rosenberger  and  himself,  had 
employed  Geisman  to  destroy  the  Tyre,  in  order  to  bring 
on  a  war,  which  they  would  use  as  a  plea  for  expansion, 
imperialism  and  the  necessity  of  a  first-class  navy  and 
standing  army,  which  they  intended  to  use  in  the  accom 
plishment  of  their  ulterior  designs.  He  also  gave  the 
names  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  money  kings  who 
were  abettors  of  the  intrigue,  and  among  others,  Levi, 
Loveheart  and  Jonas,  the  committee  that  had  investi 
gated  the  disaster. 

The  court  passed  sentence  of  death  on  Aran,  Uriah, 
Tischendorf,  Rosenberger,  Ackron  and'  Gedeon. 

When  the  verdict  was  read  Geisman  took  the  stand 
and  made  a  confession  of  his  life,  stating  that  he  had  mur 
dered  two  men,  and  committed  twenty-two  forgeries  and 
twelve  burglaries  in  the  last  nineteen  years.  He  also  af 
firmed  the  evidence  that  had  been  adduced  in  court,  and 
added  much  to  confirm  the  proofs  that  had  been  advanced. 
He  confessed  that  he  had  been  released  from  life  imprison 
ment  by  Aran  and  Uriah,  both  of  whom  had  been  intimate 
with  his  father,  to  come  to  Toadia  and  thence  sail  for  Ha- 
man,  where  he  was  to  blow  up  the  Tyre.  "They  offered 
me  five  hundred  thousand  dollars  for  the  work,  and  I  en 
gaged  the  services  of  Murphy,  Gedeon  and  Ackron,  as 
assistants. 

I  selected  Murphy  at  the  suggestion  of  Tischendorf, 
because  the  Judge  said  he  was  a  cool  and  deliberate  man, 
and  was  desperate  enough  to  commit  any  deed.  I  em 
ployed  Gedeon  and  Ackron,  because  they  were  natives, 
and  could  give  the  requisite  information  how  to  proceed 
in  the  matter.  With  these  three  men  I  went  to  Engeddi, 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  295 

where  we  had  a  conference  with  Rosenberger,  Uriah, 
Aran,  Tischendorf  and  Luemeyer,  at  the  home  of  Rosen 
berger,  and  in  presence  of  all  the  bargain  was  made.  Ro 
senberger  was  to  give  us  ten  thousand  dollars  each;  but 
secretly,  without  the  knowledge  of  my  accomplices,  I  was 
to  get  four  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  dollars  in  stock." 

It  was  proved  that  this  stock  had  been  given  to  Geis- 
man  by  Rosenberger.  "The  work  was  done  and  the 
money  was  paid.  After  the  destruction  of  the  Tyre,"  he 
continued,  "I  went  to  Dan,  and  in  a  short  time  I  was  em 
ployed  by  the  same  parties  to  kill  McGillicuddy  and  Gil- 
hooley,  and  thus  destroy  the  power  of  'The  Flaming 
Sword,'  cast  opprobrium  on  Socialism,  and  turn  the  tide 
of  sentiment  against  the  reform  movement.  I  went  to 
Deboreh,  sought  the  acquaintance  of  the  editors,  and 
courted  their  friendship  for  the  purpose  of  finding  a  favor 
able  opportunity  of  executing  the  deed,  thinking  that  my 
intimacy  with  the  victims  would  shield  me  from  the  slight 
est  suspicion.  I  was  to  receive  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  for  the  work. 

"One  evening  Teddy  Einstein  asked  me  if  I  ever  knew 
a  man  by  the  name  of  Samuel  Blymeyer.  This  was  the 
name  I  had  assumed  in  Haman;  but  I  denied  that  I  had 
ever  met  any  one  by  that  name.  Teddy  then  said  that  he 
had  met  a  gentleman  of  that  name  in  Haman,  adding 
that  I  resembled  him  very  much.  'Were  you  ever  in 
Haman?'  I  asked.  'I  was  there  when  the  Tyre  was  de 
stroyed,'  he  said.  'I  was  there  in  the  interest  of  the  De 
borah  Tobacco  Firm.'  I  became  confused.  I  concluded 
that  Teddy  had  some  knowledge  of  my  antecedents,  and 
I  felt  that  his  death  was  necessary  to  my  safety,  as  the 
hint  he  had  given  might  possibly  lead  to  my  arrest  and 
conviction. 

"Another  thought  dawned  on  my  mind.  I  was  des 
perately  in  love  with  Miss  Biddy  Einstein;  but  I  learned 
that  her  heart  was  possessed  by  Isaac  Gilhooley,  and  I 
conceived  the  idea  of  arranging  the  murder  of  Teddy 
under  circumstances  that  would  criminate  Gilhooley  and 
McGillicuddy.  Thus  I  would  achieve  a  treble  victory. 
Teddy  Einstein  would  be  dead,  and  I  would  be  safe;  the 
editors  would  be  hanged  and  The  Flaming  Sword'  and 


296  BEYOND  THE   BLACK  OCEAN 

the  reform  movement  would  be  silenced  forever,  and  1 
would  get  my  payment  for  the  work;  Biddy  Einstein 
would  loathe  the  name  of  her  affianced  and  marry  me. 
Hence  I  feigned  the  chirography  of  Teddy  in  sending  the 
note  to  the  editors  in  reply  to  the  challenge  to  meet  them 
at  the  monument  in  the  Park.  I  pretended  to  love  Lucile 
Gehtheimer;  but  she  was  engaged  to  Teddy,  and  rejected 
my  overtures.  Her  mother  favored  my  attentions,  and  I 
told  Mrs.  Gehtheimer  that  Lucile  would  marry  me,  if 
Teddy  were  out  of  the  way,  and  suggested  the  idea  of 
murdering  him,  disclosing  my  scheme  of  criminating  the 
editors  for  the  deed.  She  accepted  my  views  and  offered 
her  co-operation. 

"I  was  on  most  intimate  terms  with  these  men,  and 
was  frequently  in  their  apartments  alone,  and  on  one  oc 
casion  I  made  the  pattern  of  the  keys  that  I  required  for 
my  work.  I  thought  that  both  editors  would  go  to  the 
monument,  and  their  guilt  would  be  established  beyond  a 
doubt.  My  plans  miscarried  to  some  extent,  and  thus 
McGillicuddy  escaped  from  the  trap.  I  would  have  writ 
ten  severaldays  previously  to  the  murder,  but  I  was  afraid 
the  editors  would  see  Teddy  in  the  meantime,  and  demand 
an  explanation  of  my  note,  and  my  plot  would  be  foiled. 

"After  the  murder  of  Einstein,  I  thought  it  prudent  to 
leave  Toadia.  I  revealed  my  purpose  to  Mrs.  Reisan,  and 
she  proposed  to  accompany  me  to  my  home  in  the  vale  of 
Sharon.  But  I  said,  'You  have  a  husband,  and  he  would 
kill  us  both  if  we  attempted  to  elope.'  She  said  that  she 
could  get  a  divorce.  But  a  new  idea  came  into  my  mind. 
Reisan  was  worth  several  million  dollars,  and  if  his  wife 
obtained  a  divorce,  she  would  only  get  alimony.  I  wanted 
all  the  wealth.  I  proposed  to  poison' him,  and  she  acted 
on  the  suggestion  and  administered  the  drug.  I  imitated 
Reisan's  handwriting  in  making  the  deed  of  all  his  prop 
erty  in  Deboreh  to  his  wife.  Reisan  had  every  reason  to 
be  jealous  of  his  wife's  attention  to  me,  and  I  knew  that 
his  disappearance  would  be  attributed  to  domestic  infelic 
ity,  and  that  they  had  agreed  to  separate.  The  deed  was 
executed. 

"Reisan  died  two  hours  after  supper.  That  night  I 
placed  the  corpse  on  the  back  seat  of  the  carriage  and 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  297 

Mrs.  Reisan  and  I  occupied  the  front  seat.  Murphy  drove 
the  carriage  to  the  country,  till  we  reached  the  barn  that 
I  had  observed  a  few  days  before.  I  then  took  the  corpse 
from  the  carriage  and  placed  it  in  the  barn,  and  set  the 
barn  afire,  and  immediately  returned  to  the  carriage  and 
drove  back  to  the  city.  The  next  morning  the  papers 
announced  the  burning  of  the  barn,  and  the  finding  of 
the  skeleton  which  was  identified  as  that  of  Isaac  Gilhoo- 
ley;  but  it  was  the  skeleton  of  Reisan,  and  the  silver  match 
case  with  the  initials  'I.  G.'  engraved  on  it,  was  a  present 
from  my  father,  who  died  many  years  ago.  I  opened  the 
match  case  to  get  a  match  to  light  the  barn,  and  in  my 
excitement  I  dropped  the  match  case  and  forgot  to  pick 
it  up. 

"Since  my  arrest,  Tischendorf  encouraged  me  by  say 
ing  that  Lord  Aran,  Uriah  and  the  others  would  accom 
plish  their  purpose  before  the  day  of  my  execution,  and 
they  would  release  me.  I  lived  in  this  hope  till  they  were 
arrested,  and  now  I  see  that  all  is  over  with  me.  Wealth 
and  idleness  have  been  the  cause  of  my  ruin.  Had  I  been 
taught  to  labor  in  my  youth,  and  had  necessity  compelled 
me  to  earn  my  living  in  the  sweat  of  my  brow,  I  would 
never  have  been  sentenced  to  die  on  a  scaffold.  My  life  is 
a  lesson  on  the  wisdom  of  Socialism." 

Thus  ended  the  great  tragedy,  and  the  last  words  of 
the  culprit  as  he  was  about  to  don  the  black  cap  were 
spoken  in  condemnation  of  the  system  which  has  wrecked 
millions  of  lives. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

The  money  power  in  Toadia  was  wielded  in  behalf  of 
the  conspirators,  and  it  was  maintained  by  the  press  that 
these  men  were  as  innocent  as  unborn  babes.  The  De 
borah  Herald  denounced  the  arrest  of  the  traitors  as  a  dis 
grace  to  the  nation.  "The  men  who  have  built  up  our 
country,  who  have  defended  the  flag,  and  filled  the  land 


298  B3YOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

with  the  blessings  of  prosperity,  are  taken  from  their  pa 
latial  homes  and  thrown  into  jails  with  the  common  herd. 
Such  a  crime  was  never  perpetrated  by  a  civilized  people. 
The  rabble  seem  to  forget  that  these  gentlemen  are  the 
glory  of  the  Republic,  the  pride  of  our  country,  the  com 
panions  of  royalty.  Jails  were  made  only  for  thieves  and 
robbers  and  the  dirty  poor,  not  for  lords  and  noblemen. 
The  officers  who  arrested  Mr.  Rosenberger  and  Judge 
Tischendorf  and  Samuel  Luemeyer  are  not  fit  to  wipe  the 
feet  of  their  prisoners,  and  as  for  the  noble  Danish  Lords, 
ah!  what  Toadian  would  not  be  proud  to  know  them! 
What  official  cur  would  not  kiss  the  very  ground  that  they 
have  consecrated  by  their  footsteps! 

"The  authorities  shall  liberate  those  men  at  once,  and 
get  down  on  bended  knees,  and  humbly  ask  pardon  for 
the  awful  offense  that  has  been  offered  to  them,  and  take 
the  subordinates  who  arrested  them,  and  lash  their  naked 
back  in  the  public  square.  Call  the  army  from  the  forts 
and  field  of  battle,  summon  the  militia  from  every  State, 
and  put  down  this  outrage.  This  is  the  rule  of  the  prole 
tariat,  the  low,  vulgar  rabble.  If  these  contemptible  var- 
lets  and  uncultivated  bumpkins  are  not  restrained,  the 
government  will  soon  be  in  their  hands.  This  intrigue 
had  been  planned  and  witnesses  suborned  to  prosecute 
these  men  in  order  to  arouse  the  people  against  the  gov 
ernment  and  create  a  civil  war." 

Hundreds  of  journals  throughout  the  realm  echoed 
the  sentiments  of  the  Herald,  and  preparations  were  being 
made  by  the  financial  aristocracy  of  the  nation  to  liberate 
the  traitors  by  the  force  of  arms,  and  silence  the  voice  of 
justice.  "The  Flaming  Sword"  warned  the  people  of  the 
movement,  and  told  them  to  arise  and  defend  their  sacred, 
inalienable  rights;  and  three  million  of  stalwart  men  flew 
to  arms.  The  forts  of  the  nation  were  captured,  and  the 
soldiers  commanded  to  remain  inactive;  the  capital  was 
surrounded  by  a  hundred  thousand  yeomen,  who  threat 
ened  to  burn  the  city  if  any  attempt  were  made  to  rescue 
the  traitors. 

The  election  took  place  on  the  2ist  of  November,  two 
weeks  after  the  trial,  and  the  patriotic  people  of  the  land, 
having  witnessed  the  perfidy  of  the  capitalists,  knowing 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  299 

that  it  was  the  death  struggle  between  freedom  and  despo 
tism,  the  former  represented  by  the  wage  earner,  the 
second  embracing  money  kings  and  the  dishonest  hordes 
that  supported  their  pretentious,  were  not  to  be  deceived 
any  longer.  The  defenders  of  justice  and  liberty  came 
from  all  ranks,  abandoned  the  old  parties,  and  affiliated 
with  Socialism,  which  won  the  victory  by  nearly  two  mil 
lions  of  a  majority  over  the  votes  of  all  the  other  parties 
combined. 

When  Congress  convened,  laws  were  framed  in  har 
mony  with  the  platform  of  the  Socialist  party,  and  on  the 
first  of  March,  1865,  these  enactments  were  referred  to 
the  people  at  the  polls  and  were  confirmed  by  an  over 
whelming  majority.  The  absorption  of  industries  and  mo 
nopolies  was  gradual.  The  government  first  proposed  to 
buy  the  Engeddi  and  Sohanan  railroad,  which  connected 
the  two  oceans.  The  company  asked  twelve  hundred  mil 
lion  dollars  for  the  line,  the  capitalized  value  of  the  road. 
The  government  estimated  the  cost  of  the  road,  including 
equipment,  at  two  hundred  million,  and  made  an  offer  of 
this  sum  to  the  management,  which  was  peremptorily  de 
clined.  Then  the  government  established  a  rival  line. 
When  the  road  was  completed,  the  government  gave 
wages  of  four  dollars  per  day,  double  the  amount  paid  on 
the  private  roads,  reduced  the  cost  of  freight  to  one-fourth 
of  its  former  rate,  and  carried  passengers  for  one-tenth  of 
a  cent  per  mile. 

The  Engeddi  and  Sohanan  road  could  get  neither  la 
borers,  freight  nor  passengers,  till  it  offered  the  same  in 
ducements.  Of  course,  it  was  impossible,  under  these 
conditions,  to  pay  dividends  on  watered  stock,  and  in  less 
than  two  years  the  private  road  was  wrecked.  The  patron 
age  of  the  government  road  was  so  increased,  and  the 
profits  so  enhanced  that  every  dollar  of  debt  contracted  in 
the  construction  of  the  line  was  paid  before  the  next  Presi 
dential  election.  This  was  encouraging  to  the  hopes  of  the 
Socialists,  and  it  emphatically  proclaimed  the  wisdom  of 
their  measures.  The  government  now  purchased  every 
line  in  the  nation,  and  within  a  few  years  more  the  profits 
realized  in  operating  these  roads  had  liquidated  the  debt 
incurred  in  their  purchase.  Then  wages  were  advanced 


300  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

and  rates  further  diminished.  Now  the  government  car 
ries  passengers  free,  and  the  freight  alone  realizes  a  net 
profit  of  fifty  million  dollars  annually. 

The  municipalities  began  immediately  to  purcha.se  the 
street  railway,  gas,  water  and  electric  light  plants.  The 
wages  of  employes  were  doubled,  the  rates  to  the  con 
sumers  reduced  to  one-fourth  the  former  cost,  and  in  a 
few  years  the  profits  realized  were  amply  sufficient  to 
liquidate  the  debt  contracted  in  the  purchase  of  these  in 
dustries.  The  government  also  established  factories  of 
various  kinds.  The  competitive  system  has  been  sup 
planted  by  the  co-operative  system;  the  middlemen  and 
parasites  of  society  have  long  ceased  to  exist,  and  the 
dreams  of  Socialism  have  been  realized.  Political  parties 
have  passed  away,  and  the  evolution  of  labor  unions  has 
culminated  in  the  formation  of  an  industrial  government. 

The  administration  first  made  its  appointments  subject 
to  the  will  of  the  workers,  who  had  the  right  to  make  any 
change  that  seemed  desirable.  For  instance,  in  the  shoe 
trade,  the  operatives  in  each  factory  elect  their  foreman. 
The  foremen  of  the  different  factories  of  a  State  elect  their 
superintendent  for  the  State.  The  different  State  super 
intendents  elect  a  director,  who  represents  the  shoe  in 
dustry  in  Congress.  So  with  all  other  trades,  professions 
and  avocations.  The  foreman  is  elected  and  holds  office 
during  good  behavior.  He  has  a  right  to  discharge  any 
operative  and  correct  any  abuse,  but  he  can  be  dismissed 
by  a  majority  of  the  operatives  and  another  put  in  his 
place.  The  State  superintendents  also  hold  office  during 
good  behavior.  The  imperative  mandate  gives  the  fore 
men  power  to  dismiss  him  at  any  time,  when  he  fails  to 
discharge  his  duty.  The  directors  are  elected  on  the  same 
conditions,  and  the  president  is  elected  by  all  the  people 
and  holds  his  office  for  a  period  of  eight  years,  but  may  be 
recalled  at  any  time  by  the  imperative  mandate.  The  di 
rectors  can  discharge  a  superintendent  for  incompetency 
or  any  other  cause  within  his  sphere  of  duty,  and  the  State 
superintendents  have  the  same  power  over  the  foremen. 

Congress  makes  laws  regulating  the  national  indus 
tries,  and  one  day  is  appointed  in  the  year  for  the  people 
to  vote  on  those  laws.  State  legislatures  have  been  abol- 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK   OCEAN  301 

ished  as  a  useless  expense,  since  every  question  has  a  na 
tional  importance  under  a  government  of  national  co 
operation.  The  Senate  has  also  been  abolished.  The 
hours  of  labor  are  regulated  according  to  the  requirements 
of  the  nation.  The  government  produces  quantities  suffi 
cient  to  keep  the  people  in  luxuries,  and  provides  amply 
for  all  the  aged  and  infirm,  who  are  pensioners  of  society. 
A  small  tax  is  imposed  on  every  industry  for  this  purpose. 
This  fund  is  called  the  government  insurance  fund. 

The  land  was  nationalized  by  a  gradual  increase  in  the 
annual  taxation,  and  in  1874  private  ownership  ceased  to 
exist  in- every  part  of  the  country.  Every  man  has  a  right 
to  the  land  upon  which  his  residence  is  located,  but  he 
must  pay  the  usual  land  tax.  Those  desiring  to  have  ex 
tensive  lawns  pay  the  required  tax.  This  small  income  is 
sufficient  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  government,  since 
the  establishment  of  Socialism,  for  all  useless  factors  are 
now  eliminated,  and  economy  is  observed  in  all  depart 
ments.  There  are  no  sinecures. 

The  government  does  not  interfere  with  the  privacy 
of  the  home  'or  the  affairs  of  religion.  Churches  and  de 
nominational  schools  are  supported  by  private  contribu 
tions  as  formerly.  Religious  prejudice  has  entirely  dis 
appeared,  and  people  of  all  creeds  live  in  harmony  and 
edify  the  world  by  lives  filled  with  the  spirit  of  love. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  co-operative  commonwealth, 
some  men  were  actuated  by  a  desire  to  accumulate  wealth, 
and  while  they  had  a  right  to  all  they  had  produced,  yet 
there  was  no  room  for  speculation,  there  were  no  profits  in 
making  investments,  there  was  no  field  for  business,  and 
there  was  no  property  for  sale.  Mr.  Lukenmeyer  built 
several  houses,  but  he  could  find  no  renters,  for  every  one 
owned  his  home.  The  experiment  was  also  tried  by  others 
with  the  same  results. 

Theodore  Hertzka,  the  Austrian  Socialist,  computed 
how  much  land  and  labor  would  be  required  to  furnish  the 
twenty-six  million  Austrians  with  all  comforts,  giving  to 
each  family  a  five-room  house.  He  concluded  his  investi 
gation  with  the  statement  that  it  would  take  twenty-six 
million  acres  of  arable  land,  and  eight  million  of  pasturage, 
or  one  and  one-third  acres  .for  each  person,  and  the  labor 


302  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN 

of  six  hundred  and  fifteen  thousand  men,  eleven  hours  per 
day,  for  three  hundred  days  in  the  year.  Now  six  hun 
dred  and  fifteen  thousand  people  constitute  only  two  per 
cent  of  the  population  of  Austria.  If  we  take  nineteen  per 
cent,  or  five  millions,  which  will  include  all  the  males  be 
tween  sixteen  and  fifty,  working  eleven  hours  a  day,  they 
could  supply  the  wants  of  twenty-six  million  with  thirty- 
seven  days'  labor  in  a  year.  If  they  worked  three  hundred 
days  in  the  year,  they  would  be  required  to  labor  only  one 
hour  and  twenty-two  and  one-half  minutes  each  day.  The 
same  number  of  people  working  two  hours  and  eleven 
minutes  each  day,  could  supply  the  rest  of  the  inhabitants 
with  all  luxuries;  or  if  they  labored  three  hours  and  twelve 
minutes,  they  would  be  required  to  work  only  seven 
months  in  the  year. 

The  facilities  of  production  have  been  so  multiplied  in 
Toadia  since  1864  that  twenty  per  cent  of  the  population 
laboring  one  hour  each  day  support  the  nation  in  luxuries. 
In  some  industries,  such  as  farming,  the  hours  are  longer, 
but  the  toilers  work  only  a  few  months  in  the  year,  and  this 
makes  an  average  of  one  hour  for  the  whole  year. 

The  young  pursue  their  studies  till  they  are  twenty 
years  of  age,  and  before  they  enter  the  arena  of  life,  they 
are  equipped  with  a  thorough  mental  training.  But  they 
do  not  abandon  their  intellectual  exercises  when  they  have 
finished  their  course  of  studies.  Every  city  and  town  has 
a  university,  and  lectures  in  all  the  sciences  are  delivered  to 
the  public  free  of  cost.  You  may  observe  the  gray-haired 
octogenarean  mingling  with  the  beardless  youths  in  the 
halls  of  the  university,  eager  to  grasp  the  words  of  wis 
dom  that  fall  from  the  lips  of  the  great  men  employed  to 
impart  their  knowledge  to  the  nation.  The  most  ignor 
ant  class  in  Toadia  to-day  compare  favorably  with  the  best 
educated  men  in  America. 

Idleness  is  stigmatized  as  the  greatest  vice,  the  source 
of  all  misery,  and  emulation  in  the  acquisition  of  learning 
has  become  a  passion  with  the  people.  Works  of  philan 
thropy  are  rewarded  with  public  honors,  and  those  who 
are  not  qualified  by  natural  genius  to  excel  in  mental  pur 
suits,  devote  their  time  to  some  public  enterprise. 

The  air-ship,  invented  by  Gilhooley,  has  become  the 


BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  303 

ordinary  convenience  of  transportation  for  passengers. 
Many,  of  course,  prefer  the  railroads,  for  they  cannot  con 
ceive  that  the  winged  cars  are  entirely  safe.  But  when 
this  feeling  has  been  overcome,  no  other  convenience  will 
be  used.  They  have  large  air-ships  for  public  service,  in 
conveying  passengers  across  the  continent  and  beyond  the 
ocean;  and  they  also  have  private  ships  for  family  ser 
vices.  The  ships  travel  at  the  rate  of  four  hundred  miles 
an  hour.  The  business  men  employed  in  the  cities  gener 
ally  live  far  away  on  the  mountain  tops,  or  by  the  sea  or 
lake  shores,  and  by  means  of  the  air-ship  find  it  no  incon 
venience  to  travel  this  distance  every  morning. 

The  Toadians  were  troubled  for  many  centuries  with 
the  short  nights  and  the  excessive  cold  of  the  brumal  sea 
son;  and  since  the  establishment  of  the  new  regime  the 
difficulty  has  been  surmounted.  An  apparatus  has  been 
invented  to  store  up  the  heat  and  light  of  the  sun's  rays, 
which  can  be  preserved  and  utilized  and  regulated  by 
means  of  a  register.  This  force  is  now  used  very  ex 
tensively  in  residences  for  heating,  lighting  and  cooking 
purposes,  and  also  as  a  motive  power  in  propelling  trains 
and  ships. 

Some  experiments-  have  been  tried  with  terrestrial  elec 
tricity,  and  the  results  have  promised  a  great  victory  in 
the  near  future.  The  earth  is  charged  with  electrical  cur 
rents,  and  by  utilizing  this  vast  treasure  of  natural  power, 
they  will  soon  be  enabled  to  banish  night  completely  from 
the  dominion  of  the  trans-arctic  world. 

Ignatius  Donnelly  speaks  of  this  in  "Caesar's  Col 
umn,"  a  dream  of  the  twentieth  century,  and  he  says  that 
the  currents  are  so  arranged  that  the  electrical  day  rises 
with  the  twilight  shadows,  and  vanishes  with  the  blush  of 
the  infant  morn. 

A  contrivance  for  making  rain  has  been  devised,  and 
the  farmers  can  call  down  the  clouds  at  pleasure.  This 
invention  is  also  used  for  sprinkling  lawns  and  other  do 
mestic  purposes.  The  electricity  has  been  extracted  from 
the  clouds,  and  unequal  heating  of  the  atmosphere  is  regu 
lated,  so  as  to  prevent  cyclones,  tornadoes  and  storms,  and 
the  elements  have  been  subjected  to  the  will  of  man. 

The  new  residences  of  Toadia  are  made  of  thick, 


304  BEYOND  THE  BLACK  OCEAN  * 

opaque  glass.  Wireless  telegraphy  has  been  perfected, 
but  has  since  been  supplanted  by  mental  telegraphy,  which 
enables  persons  to  communicate  with  any  part  of  the  uni 
verse.  Frequent  communications  have  been  sent  to  Mars, 
and  answers  were  promptly  returned.  The  inhabitants  of 
Mars  informed  the  Toadians  that  they  have  been  sending 
messages  to  the  earth  for  the  last  two  thousand  years,  but 
failed  to  get  a  reply,  owing  to  the  ignorance  of  our  people 
of  the  science  of  mental  telegraphy.  They  also  stated  that 
the  white  caps,  which  we  periodically  observe  at  the  poles 
of  their  globe,  are  snow,  which  melted  during  the  summer 
months,  and  ran  over  their  continent.  They  used  this 
overflow  for  irrigating  purposes,  causing  the  beautiful 
green  fields  observed  from  the  earth. 

Hundreds  of  other  inventions  and  discoveries  have 
added  to  the  comfort  of  the  people,  and  the  progress  of 
their  nation.  Poverty  is  unknown ;  criminals  have  ceased 
to  haunt  the  shadows  of  night  and  curse  the  nation  with 
their  iniquities.  Prisons  are  no  more,  and  the  insane  asy 
lums  are  empty.  Disease  has  been  almost  entirely  extir 
pated,  and  longevity  has  increased  wonderfully.  War  has 
been  banished  from  the  trans-arctic  world,  and  Socialism 
is  triumphant  in  every  country  in  New  Israel. 

Moses  Gilhooley  and  his  wife  have  passed  away,  and 
Abraham  McGillicuddy  mourns  the  loss  of  his  sire.  Biddy 
and  Mary  Ann  are  still  basking  in  the  smiles  of  connubial 
bliss,  and  are  blessed  with  the  love  and  devotion  of  their 
children.  Isaac  and  Abraham,  though  advanced  in  years, 
are  strong  in  physical  and  mental  vigor,  and  are  devoting 
their  time  to  the  cultivation  of  science  and  literature. 
Patrick  Einstein  and  his  wife  have  joined  the  choir  beyond 
the  mystic  valley,  and  their  grandson,  young  Benjamin 
Gilhooley,  is  President  of  the  Toadian  commonwealth. 
The  Gehtheimers  and  Mrs.  Reisan  have  succumbed  to  the 
severities  of  prison  life,  and  have  appeared  before  the  trib 
unal  of  justice  to  answer  for  their  dark  deeds. 

Thus  ends  the  story  "Beyond  the  Black  Ocean." 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

RENEWALS  ONLY— TEL.  NO.  642-3405 
This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


INTER-LlBRARt 


LOAN 


MAR  10  1970 


LD2lA-60m-6,'69 
(J9096slO)476-A-32 


Univ. 


YB  07750 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CAUFOJWIA  LIBRARY 


Social  Democracy  Bet  Boi 

By  FREDERIC  HEATH. 

Printed  on  Plate  Paper.  Handsomely  Iftustra  €d. 

A  book  for  Socialists  who  will  find  it  indispensable  for  refei  -nee 
purposes  and  because  of  the  historical  character  of  its  cont  nts. 
Among  the  features  are : 

A  HISTORY  OF  SOCIALISM  IN  AMERICA 

Covering  76  pages,  with  portraits  of  Robert  Owen,  Etionne 
Cabet,  Wilhelm  Weitling,  etc.,  etc. 

ALBERT  BRISBANE 

The  first  Ame  lean  agitator,  with  portrait. 

A  TRIP  TO  GIRARD 

By  Wayfarer,  with  view  of  Appeal  to  Reason  office. 

KARL,  MARX  ON  THE  SINGLE  TAX 

MACHINE  vs.  HANI>  LABOIl 

Compiled  from  government  reports  by  Isador  Ladoff. 

SHORTER  PIECES  £ 

Labor  conflicts  in  18995  Gronlund.  Grant  Allen.  Chronol 
ogy  for  1899.  Directory  of  Social  Democrats.  Socialist 
Controversies  in  1899.  The  "Golden  Rule  Mayor."  Prof. 
Herron's  Case.  Social  Democratic  Platforms,  etc. 

BIOGRAPHIES  OF  WELL,  KTffOWN  SOCIAL  DEM 
OCRATS.    Twenty  in  all. 
ELECTION  STATISTICS 

Covering  the  Socialist  movement 'down  to  the  present  year. 
A  valuable  reference. 

A  SOCIALIST  PORTRAIT  GALLERY 

Comprising  seventeen  likenesses  of  leading  workers  in  the 
movement. 

PRICE,  15  CENTS. 

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